RESIDENCE LIFE

Novia is a proud Hofstra alum who arrived at the University as an international student from the island of Jamaica. She began her career in academia, working in the Division of Student Affairs.

As the Director of Operations with responsibility for occupancy management and facilities, Novia has oversight for on-campus housing assignment, as well as enhancing the student experience as part of the housing selection processes. She also oversees special projects to upgrade resident facilities (room and lounge areas). When not immersed in day-to-day activities, Novia can be found interacting with students through one of the Hofstra work groups or simply having conversations with students as she walks the residence halls. These interactions help Hofstra to create and promote an atmosphere conducive to learning and a rich campus experience.

Novia and her husband are parents to three young boys and she enjoys traveling along with a passion for track and field. A huge sports fan in general, Novia is an avid supporter of Arsenal, the Yankees, Jets, and Knicks.

Chrissyann arrived at Hofstra in fall 2014 and wholeheartedly felt the positive energy, and the high level of professionalism and collaborative spirit shown by the entire Residential Life staff. Prior to joining Residence Life, she worked for Long Island University as the Assistant Director of Internal Audit and then in the human resources office, specializing in compliance related issues. She also worked as a staff accountant for Grassi and Company, CPAs, one of the largest public accounting firms on Long Island. Chrissyann has always enjoyed student interaction and looks forward to shifting gears from the business end of higher education to engaging in promoting student growth, learning, and success.

Chrissyann is a proud alum of LIU Post where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Accounting and Taxation. She also holds an MSEd in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies from Hofstra University.

Chrissyann and her husband John live on the South Shore of Long Island and are blessed to have three beautiful daughters. Their “second job” is taxiing the girls all over the tristate area for dance classes and competitions.

John hails from Columbia, Maryland. He graduated from Salisbury University with a bachelor’s degree in History and earned his master’s degree from Hofstra in the Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies program.

As the Assistant Director of Operations, John oversees room furniture maintenance as well as maintenance requests and work orders in the residence halls. He is also involved in special projects to upgrade resident facilities (room and lounge areas). Outside of the daily routine, John likes conversing with students and, when possible, volunteering for on-campus events within the Division of Student Affairs.

In his spare time, John enjoys exercising, playing sports, watching Netflix, eating burrito bowls from Chipotle, and traveling. An avid sports fan, John supports the Orioles, Ravens, Capitals, Wizards, and the Liverpool Football Club.

Liliana was born and raised in Colorado. She is a proud triple Hofstra alumna, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, a Master of Science in Education in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies, and a Master of Arts in Forensic Linguistics.

While Liliana has served various roles in higher education, including in communications, events, recruitment, and safety, she currently serves Hofstra as the Associate Director of Resident Success. She enjoys leading a team of about 100 student employees and loves supporting her students through their various endeavors and achievements.

In Liliana’s free time, she enjoys various hobbies including hiking, running, camping, baking, attending festivals, and all things crime. She is an avid traveler and always has a trip planned.

Prior to joining the Hofstra Pride, Alex worked as a Resident Director at Concordia University Chicago. She received her M.Ed. in Higher Education with a concentration in Campus Culture from the University of Maine in 2020 where she worked in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. She completed her B.A. in Cinema and TV Arts with a minor in Environmental Studies from Elon University in 2018. She is originally from Clinton, CT, just across the Sound, but has now lived in 5 different states including Connecticut, North Carolina, Maine, Illinois, and now New York!

Alex is excited to be working with the students in Nassau and Suffolk. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, attending Broadway shows, and exploring New York City!

Hi I’m Tyreek, I am from Brooklyn, New York. I attended Stony Brook University where I obtained my Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology, Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology and my Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration. I am passionate about mental health and hope to continue my PhD research here at Hofstra!

Kirwin joined the Residence Life team in January of 2022. A native Brooklynite, Kirwin left the city to get his undergraduate degree at Juniata College in Organizational Communication and Conflict Resolution. During his time at Juniata, he was involved in Intercultural programming, Admissions events, and the Juniata Activity Board. After attending a National Association of Campus Activities conference, Kirwin decided that Higher Ed was the career path for him and went to pursue a master’s degree in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University. At Western Illinois, he served as a graduate assistant in Graduate Student Life and Veterans Resources. Kirwin is excited to continue his journey within student affairs and explore Residence Life at Hofstra. Within the field, Kirwin has written for NASPA’s New Professionals and Graduate Students blog detailing the challenges of being an autistic Student Affairs grad. He has also has worked a lot on the gamification of training and development. In his free time, Kirwin enjoys collecting board games, rewatching Parks and Recreation, and walking.

Simran Jaswal is the Resident Director of Nassau/Suffolk Hall at Hofstra University. Before her position at Hofstra University, she worked as the Campus Education Coordinator at the Safe Center LI. Simran completed her Master’s in Public Administration with an Advanced Certification in Emergency Management from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Before her master’s, she received a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Political Science also from John Jay College. Outside of work, she is a professional dancer with expertise in Bollywood fusion and Bhangra. She currently is the head coach of the Bollywood Fusion team Jashan & Co. She is a big foodie and loves trying new cuisines!

A Queens-born, Miami-raised third culture kid, Jade spent her whole life moving around from state to state and country to country, including Haiti, Ecuador, France, Switzerland, and Spain. As the daughter of a diplomat, she spent the majority of her life traveling and immersing herself in different cultures.

Prior to joining Hofstra Pride, Jade was working for Residence Life at various institutions including Colgate University as the Graduate Area Director of Junior and Senior Living and an Assistant Residential Coordinator at Binghamton University, where She received her Master of Science in Student Affairs Administration. Before that, she received her Bachelor of Science at Buffalo State University in Educational and Social Psychology with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. As a first-generation American-born Haitian, she has spent her educational tenure supporting other first-generation students to succeed in higher education spaces.

In Jade’s free time, she enjoys various hobbies including travel planning, reading books, baking banana bread, and watching medical and crime dramas. She is an avid traveler, given her upbringing, and has visited 19 countries so far and plans to visit more! Feel free to ask her for travel tips.

Latoya Holmes was born and raised in Harlem, NY. She graduated from Hofstra in 2023 with her Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Management. She’s excited to return back to the Pride as a GRD. Latoya was a student in the New Opportunities at Hofstra (NOAH) Scholars Program. She is currently enrolled in the Master’s program in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies.

While at Hofstra, Latoya was a NOAH Scholars Aide, Resident Safety Supervisor, Resident Assistant, and President of the Xi Gamma Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Latoya is happy to be back in the Office of Residence Life, in which she looks to add her contributions to a vibrant and engaging campus community. Outside of work, Latoya loves to travel and create memories with her family and friends.

Born and raised in the beautiful island of St. Lucia, Desray moved to New York to pursue a degree in Computer Science and Cybersecurity at Hofstra University and is currently working towards a Master’s in Health Informatics. With a passion for both technology and student development, Desray has found residence life to be an exciting career path, and is hoping to find a bridge between the two. Since 2022, she has served in various roles, including Resident Assistant (RA), Senior Resident Assistant (SRA), and now Graduate Resident Director of The Netherlands Complex.

Outside of academics and work, Desray loves to travel, stay active at the gym, and enjoy quality time with family. A fun fact she always loves to share is that she’s proudly represented St. Lucia in the 100m track and field event on multiple occasions, including at The CARIFTA Games, one of the largest junior athletics events in the Caribbean. Known for her friendly nature, Desray enjoys talking to and developing close-knit relationships with the people around her, bringing warmth and energy to the Hofstra community.

The National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) is composed of only the top 1% of on-campus residents who exemplify the qualities of an outstanding student leader. Induction into NRHH is by nomination and application only. Admission is based on actions and achievements within the four pillars recognized by NRHH: academics, recognition, community, service, and leadership. The purpose of NRHH is to maintain and honor these four pillars, as well as recognize those residing in on-campus housing who uphold certain academic standards and who act as leaders within their community. Lastly, NRHH promotes activities that will improve the leadership qualities of Hofstra University residents. For more information please contact hofstranrhh@gmail.com. If you know someone who exemplifies these qualities and you would like to nominate them to be a member of NRHH, email hofstranrhh@gmail.com for a nomination form.

Submit an OTM by the first of each month to recognize a great program, community or individual at https://otms.nrhh.org