Twelve years after he started working at Saint Louis University, Director of Housing and Residence Life Argyle Wade will be relocating to the University of Wisconsin Madison to serve as the associate dean of students. “It hasn’t seemed like 12 years,” said Wade, who first began working in housing as a desk worker during his freshman year at Truman State University.
Wade applied for the new job in April this year, but didn’t hear anything until mid-July, when the school contacted him. After an interview, he received a job offer, about a week later.
His last day at SLU is scheduled for Aug. 31, after which Susan Fanale, currently the associate director of housing and residence life, will serve as the interim director while the search for a new director takes place. “If I was going to hand this department over to anybody, [Susan Fanale] is one of the people I would’ve picked. I have complete confidence in everybody [in Housing and Residence Life],” said Wade. Consequently, he expects that his departure shouldn’t cause any disruptions for students or within the university.
Once Wade officially takes the reins for his new job on Sept. 17, he will be responsible for Wisconsin’s Tutoring Services, Veterans’ Services, the Multicultural Center, Disability Services Center, Student Government, student conduct, new student orientation programs, the LGBT Center and student activities, all of which are off the beaten path of his responsibilities for his current job at SLU.
He admits that while it is strange to be taking his first job since college that is not housing-related, it is also “exciting to be working on something I’ve never done before.” The job wasn’t something he had been specifically planning for, but he is looking forward to “working with [even more] people who are really passionate about the idea of student experience there.”
Wade said he knew it would be hard to leave SLU. “It’s the people that have made this such a wonderful job for me. I’m going to miss everything about the Saint Louis University community,” he said, “. and I’m really not looking forward to the winters [in Wisconsin].”
Wade received both his bachelor’s degree in psychology and the psuedo-name Argyle at Truman State University. While his name is technically John Eric Wade, his resident adviser jokingly bestowed the name Argyle on him during his freshman year after watching Braveheart, which included a character named Argyle. The name stuck.
After his years at Truman State University, he received his master’s degree in counselor education from Emporia State University and completed a doctorate in higher education administration from SLU over the summer.
Wade first began working at SLU in 1995 as a residence hall coordinator, before becoming an area coordinator for other SLU complexes. In 2000, he was promoted to associate director of housing and residence life, and eventually became the director of housing. Shortly thereafter Wade assumed the role of SLU’s director of housing and residence life in February 2004, the job he will hold until the end of this month.
Above all, Wade expressed his gratitude toward staff, faculty and students alike, thanking them for “the fabulous experience that SLU has been for me . Everyone has done a lot to help me professionally, and I really appreciate everything.”
