July 22, 2021
Ned Erilus ’03 returns to Providence College as director of residence life and housing
By Charlotte Smith ’20, ’21G
As Providence College’s new director of residence life and housing, Nedzer “Ned” Erilus ’03 intends to create opportunities that will lead students to academic and social fulfillment.
Erilus, who previously worked as assistant director of residence life at the University of Oregon, began his duties in March. He oversees the on-campus living experience for students, manages the residence life staff, serves on the student affairs management team, and assists with the development of student learning goals. He also will work to ensure an inclusive community focused on the College’s mission and implement key directives of the PC200 strategic plan.
Erilus completed a double major in French and philosophy at PC. He credits philosophy with being the catalyst that drives and continues to shape him as a person.
“To me, an education should be something that you have a vested interest in pursuing versus something that is pragmatic,” Erilus said. “So, the question of what I was going to do after graduation was something I never worried about, as philosophy has a lifelong application. To me, it was not about a career, but a meaningful life.”
As a student, Erilus was a member of Friars Club, the club rugby team, the Afro-American Society, and choral groups, including I Cantori and the a cappella group Strictly Speaking. He also was a resident assistant in all the residence halls for men — St. Joseph Hall, McDermott Hall, and Guzman Hall — as a sophomore, junior, and senior. A sense of deep connection to each dorm played a role in his decision to return to PC as director of residence life and housing.
“Each year of living in the residence halls was distinctly different, and they all make up the meaningful narrative of my life,” Erilus said. “The depth of connection I was able to make within the halls is something I will always treasure as part of my PC experience.”
After completing his undergraduate studies, Erilus rejoined the College in 2005 as a hall director, then became Suites Complex Director in 2007. In those roles he began to understand what it means to work with students, how to prioritize their needs, and how to create spaces to which they can comfortably retreat.
During that period, Erilus also was director of the former Balfour Center for Multicultural Affairs. He managed multicultural programming, advised the Board of Multicultural Student Affairs, and helped develop a strategic plan to implement inclusion and diversity work. He co-created the Peer Mentor Program and Horizons retreat, both of which exist now through the Center for Orientation, Transitions & Leadership. His goal was to create a support system for multicultural students, so they could build a community during their time at the College.
“It’s important to understand where each student is coming from and who each wishes to be,” Erilus said. “Each student should be able to find a place, knowing that the department is there to ensure that they are comforted, supported, and respected.” With shifting landscapes in society and the global community, Erilus strives to empower students of all backgrounds to find their home at PC, underscoring that cultural sensitivity, empathy, respect, and stability are integral to their growth and success. He hopes to provide students with appropriate resources and identify and remove barriers that may impede their success.
During his time in Oregon, Erilus earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Portland State University, specializing in post-secondary adult continuing education. In his career, he has presented professional development sessions on race and ethnicity, intersectionality, LGBTQ+ support, and social justice. He engaged residence life staff in Oregon in training and development of competencies around equity and inclusion. He also has received training in restorative justice, primarily in conflict mediation.
Erilus believes it is important to promote co-curricular experiences for students and to promote relationships outside the classroom.
“Because residence life is such a collaborative operation, we thrive on partnerships, and our students thrive when residence life is connected,” Erilus said. “Since we are in the living spaces with them, students are going to come to us, the office, or their RA, first. So we must, at the very least, have an expertise on all resources around campus, establishing that connection and building those bridges to resources for our students.”
Erilus intends to hire staff who share in his vision, passion for inclusion, enthusiasm for training, and deep involvement with students.
He also feels a desire to give back to those who influenced him at the College, including his colleagues, classmates, professors, resident assistants, and the Dominicans, all of whom have contributed to the person he is now.
“Providence College truly transforms individuals,” Erilus said. “I experienced a renaissance in residence life at PC, inclusive of my RA years and my formative professional years. I feel an indescribable indebtedness to the College. This sense of indebtedness is also future directed, as I am already feeling a debt to the future in the people I’ve met in my transition to this new role. This is the driving force behind my inspiration to take the next step in becoming director.”
