Neil Andrito likes to joke that he got into student housing because of his younger brothers.

Growing up, he had his own room while his two younger brothers shared a room. He says that when he left for college, as soon as the car was pulling out of the driveway, his brothers were already moving boxes into his room.

TU's Director of Residence Life, Neil Andrito
Neil Andrito

 “I like to tell people I got into housing because I needed a place to live—because the living room futon wasn’t going to cut it,” he says with a laugh.

That need led him to become a resident assistant in college, where he found a passion for the work.

“I liked being able to engage students and support them through real challenges,” Andrito says. “Working in housing means I get to help people make their college experience better.”

He brings more than 20 years of experience in housing and residence life to Towson University. After taking time off to care for his children and earn a doctorate in higher education administration, he returned to the field this past June as TU’s new director of residence life.

In his first few months, Andrito has focused on getting to know his team and the campus. And from his first impressions, he’s seen a community ready to support its student residents.

“I’ve gotten a close look at the residence life team, and I see a group of folks who are passionate about their work,” he says. “They’re a team that wants to prioritize students and make decisions that support them. That’s just indicative of people being well intentioned and excited about working here.”

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As director, Andrito oversees the associate directors, who manage professional staff in the residence halls. He also ensures that student support staff are trained and equipped to serve on-campus residents.

He and his team work to make sure more than 5,000 residential students are having a positive experience.

“We’re going to figure out what we’re doing really well—and what we need to tweak,” he says. “I always think of residence life as the hub of a wagon wheel. We are the students’ home. Whether they’re getting involved on campus or going to class, they always come back home.

“We ask ourselves how we can help students make more meaning of the rest of their campus experiences when they return home.”

One of the things that drew him to TU was the university’s residential curriculum program, which is designed to help students learn and grow outside the classroom. It integrates personal development and community engagement into everyday residential life through intentional programming and staff support.

Andrito, whose doctoral research focused on student affairs divisions and their work with curriculum, is excited to help build on what’s already in place.

“During my time here, we’re going to see how we can develop that, so students understand that living on campus means growth and development,” he says.

What is Residence Life Director Neil Andrito’s key piece of advice for a new student moving to campus?

“Talk to your roommate—and give them grace. Engage with your roommates and the people around you. The residence life staff is going to be there to help folks practice and engage in those conversations, so people don’t feel alone.

But when you can have those conversations, challenge yourself and grow—that’s where real relationships come from. When you’re able to engage with folks, navigate challenges, and talk through things, you develop a deeper appreciation for that person.

I think it allows you to navigate more difficult things with that individual [down the line]. So if you can do that—and get into a space where you enjoy the people you’re around—you’re going to have a good residential experience.”