Principia College welcomed two new resident counselors this summer — both alumni who say they hope to inspire students and carry on a legacy. Dina Ogilvie succeeded Tina Hussey as the Howard RC, and Doug Beck became the Anderson Hall RC after Sue Huffman retired. Carly Hendrickson also served as an RC for summer break housing.
Ogilvie started as a houseparent at the Principia Upper School. She was originally going to work as an admissions counselor and transition into being an RC at the college. However, the position quickly captured her attention. “I was obsessed with the job. I wanted to give my full force to it,” Ogilvie said.
Ogilvie said her inspiration comes from wanting to be the role model she never had. “Being a black international woman, I didn’t always have a lot of people to look up to who looked like me. It’s something I am very passionate about. I think that it’s very important to be what I didn’t see growing up,” she said.
Students are already noticing the difference. Senior and resident assistant Ariana Williams has worked with three Howard RCs, but she said Ogilvie is different. “Having someone that looks like me, and also acts like me, is refreshing. It’s like I can come home to a house-like environment,” said Williams. She also pointed out the importance of having somebody who genuinely talks to students and connects with them on a deeper level.
For her part, Ogilvie hopes to bring new energy to the house, not only from her own uplifting spirits but also by creating an open and welcoming environment. “A sense of community and togetherness is something I think is really important to me. Just a sense of comfort with each other and a sense of family,” she said. Additionally, Ogilvie stated that she wants “people to feel like they can come in and feel like they want to be a part of it.”
Beck, a 1993 alumnus, is embracing his role as the Anderson RC. His goal is to create “a culture of independence and self-reliance.” To Beck, being a resident counselor means being “a co-conspirator in helping them make their life amazing, and their college experience amazing.”
Looking back on his college career, Beck recalled an RC who mentored and inspired him as a student. “It made me feel like I could both be myself with him and come to him with questions or problems and things I was struggling with — to see if I could be that for somebody makes my heart happy,” he said.
Others see his enthusiasm as well. According to Dana Galinis, vice president and resident assistant in Anderson, Beck “has been nothing but an inquiring mind, all he wants to do is lift the students, and be the biggest supporter of Anderson as he can be.”
During the summer, Hendrickson stepped up to be the RC in Gehner. With the previous RC family leaving halfway through the summer, Hendrickson knew it would be difficult to find a new RC in such a short amount of time. She said “I kind of volunteered as a way to help the department.”
Mafe Quintero, a junior majoring in business administration and educational studies, spoke about her experience living in Gehner for the last two weeks of break. She said Hendrickson helped the students stay informed and prepared for the beginning of the school year. “We had a meeting with her and she gave us all the information for moving out, and she was always texting the group chat,” Quintero said.
Hendrickson’s position as the break house RC may extend all the way to summer housing next year as well. Looking ahead to winter break, Hendrickson said she hopes to “get a little festive in the house and make it feel special.”