Reflecting on her experiences as director of student housing, Deb Gipson said she could write a book.

After more than 18 years of meeting the needs of students and resolving issues on campus, Gipson is now taking her experiences to the alumni office as alumni programming and events coordinator.

Adam Griffin, former resident director, is taking over her position.

Gipson’s new duties include running the student alumni association and running different projects.

Gipson said her new position is “a different kind of stress.”

Griffin, former resident director, is taking over Gipson’s position.

Griffin said having worked under her for so long he got to know her on many different levels.

“She loved her students,” Griffin said.

He said one of the best things about Gipson was her open door policy and the stories she would sometimes come out and share.

For Gipson she said one of the hardest things about leaving the residence halls was the staff and her students.

She said her position has an extension of the classroom, except it teaches life lessons one cannot learn from a book.

Griffin said he is confident she will do a good job in her new position.

“She has a lot of experience,” Griffin said. “Her biggest strength was her relationship with the students and the alumni office needs to get tied in with the students.”

Gipson said she has tried to go out to where the students can see her and she has already had quite a few visitors.

After getting to know many of the students, Gipson said she likes to know how they are doing and what is going on with them.

Because of her connection with the students and experience in the residence halls, Lee Pound, director of the alumni association, said Gipson will bring useful attributes to the alumni office. She said, now everyone in the alumni office can focus more on specific areas when before she had to rely on the assistance of students.

“Now I can look at it now and take more of an administrative and long- term approach,” Pound said.

Pound and Gipson have worked together several times, such as with homecoming activities and the finals packs programs. Pound said having Gipson in the alumni office just makes her more accessible.

“Now instead of a phone call away, she’s a lean-over-and-shout,” Pound said.

For those who miss Gipson, she wants to send the students a reminder.

“I’m still around,” she said. “I’m still here.”