Talking Stick - July/August 2017 - 44

Research and Publication Award

Denise Davidson
Bloomsburg University

This award recognizes individuals, whether directly or indirectly affiliated
with ACUHO-I, who have made a significant contribution to the body of
knowledge related to the campus housing profession through their work in
research and publications.

he campus housing profession is unique in the
ways in which the work
is done by a combination of practitioners and
academics. But, as individuals such
as Denise Davidson show, when
those two sides are combined in
one person, the results are even
more valuable.
Denise is an assistant professor of educational leadership and
college student affairs at Bloomsburg
University in Pennsylvania. For more
than 20 years, she worked in campus
housing as well as the areas of academic advising and student financial
aid. She has held postions ranging
from RA to housing director at institutions of various sizes and types in
four ACUHO-I regions. Even when she
began to focus on academics, she
knew she would never be far from
campus housing. As she says, "with
a faculty position and doctorate in
hand, I knew housing and residence
life would receive the majority of my
attention as a scholar."
The research she has done has
been shared with ACUHO-I members
in a variety of methods. She has
served as a reviewer and associate
editor for The Journal of College and
University Student Housing. In that
role she disseminates manuscripts
to reviewers, receives their feedback,
collates the information and evaluations into a single cogent document, and provides the feedback

to the editor. In 2013, she and Mark
Baumann were guest editors of the
special themed issue of the Journal,
"Addressing the Needs of Residential
Students with Disabilities."
In addition to her publications
work, Denise sits on the Research
Committee and twice has been a fac-

What is the first memory that jumps into your mind when you
think about your career in campus housing?
Leading my first floor meeting as a DA (dormitory assistant!) was terrifying.
We didn't have much training back then - only three days - and I was nervous
about leading my first meeting with 32 first-year women.

When do you first remember being aware of ACUHO-I, and
why did you get involved with the Association?
I became aware of ACUHO-I in my first post-master's position as an assistant
director of residence life at St. Mary's University in San Antonio. Karen Ditzler
Johnson, director of residence life, attended a conference in Baltimore related
to conferences (I can't recall the name, which has, I believe, since changed).
She returned to Texas excited, enthusiastic, and bursting with new ideas. Her
reaction to the conference and association were contagious.
My involvement with ACUHO-I didn't really begin until I was a doctoral
student. I saw a call for reviewers for The Journal of College and University Student Housing and applied. Re-engaging with campus housing from the scholarship perspective appealed to me. No longer strictly a housing practitioner, I
could still contribute to our knowledge about the field of campus housing. The
principle of making a contribution is important to me. I've gained much from
the Association and its people. Giving back, helping other practitioners, is how
I repay those who have supported me as well as the people and students on
my campuses.

How would you describe ACUHO-I while using only six words?
Supporting informed, innovative practice in community.

2017 ACUHO-I WALL of HONOR
44

talking stiCk

ulty member for the James C. Grimm
National Housing Training Institute.
She also has contributed numerous
articles, edited work, and presentations on such topics as students
with disabilities in campus housing,
evolution of the RA position, and
residence life job satisfaction.

Talking Stick - July/August 2017

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