Residence Life

It’s much more than a cluster of buildings.

Residence life at Taylor is more than that. Halls are intentionally integrated, so underclassmen are living with and learning from upperclassmen and vice versa. In living together, students are exposed to a variety of people and opinions, as well as a host of shared experiences.

The goal is to create an environment that encourages personal and spiritual growth and fosters the basic values of Christian community, such as consideration for others, integrity and self-discipline. Residence Hall staff work to facilitate this growth in partnership with Men's and Women's Programming.

Things to bring to campus

Residence Halls

Campus Apartments

Sammy Morris Hall

The "new" Sammy Morris Hall was constructed in 1998, but the traditions associated with this residence hall are longstanding.

The building houses 280 men on four floors that are divided into three sections. Each section shares a large centrally located social lounge. There is a main lounge, kitchen facility and prayer room located on the first floor and a large recreation area in the basement. The hall is handicapped accessible and is air-conditioned.

Student rooms are carpeted and the furniture is stackable, which affords students the opportunity to be creative with room layouts. Each student is provided the following:

a bed
dresser
desk
chair
bookcase
closet space

Troy Tiberi, Sammy Morris Hall Director

Hi, I am Troy Tiberi, and I serve as the Residence Director of Samuel Morris Hall. I live in Sammy with my wife Ashley and my two-year-old daughter Calais (we’re also expecting a son in December, 2012!). I graduated from Taylor in ’99 with a BA in Christian Education, and then I worked for seven years in residence life at both the Upland and Fort Wayne campuses of Taylor and at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. I then moved to Seattle, Washington and completed a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology (formerly Mars Hill Graduate School). Following graduate school, I worked as a therapist for children, adolescents, and families at a community mental health center, and during this time, I also obtained certification as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

Samuel Morris Hall is named after a former Taylor student who is remembered for his sincere faith in God. He was beloved by those who knew him, and he was respected for his selfless acts – when he arrived on campus he told the president: “If there is a room nobody wants, give that to me.” The men of Morris have adopted the phrase “Be Last” in recognition of Sammy’s readiness to serve others in need. It is my hope that the men in Morris look to Sammy’s example as they seek to serve God and love others well.

Email Troy at troy_tiberi@taylor.edu.

Bryce Watkins, Sammy Morris Assistant Hall Director

My name is Bryce Watkins, and I serve as the Graduate Assistant Hall Director of Samuel Morris Hall. I am a recent graduate from Messiah College with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. I love being active, and I especially enjoy playing basketball and volleyball. When I'm not running around I relax by listening to music (mostly Christian rap) and hanging out with friends.

As an undergraduate student, I was an RA (PA) for my junior and senior years. I love the opportunity to live and work with college students. Growing together in a dorm setting and seeing that growth over the course of a year helped me change my life direction from engineering to higher education. College is an amazing time to really discover the person God is calling each of us to be, and I am blessed to take part in that journey with new students at a new university.

My goal for the men of Sammy Morris is for them to graduate with an attitude of striving towards God and showing God's love to those around them. I pray that when they leave Taylor they will pursue a passion of interest that meets a need of the world.

Email Bryce at bryce_watkins@taylor.edu.