New college manager
17 August 2018
Staff and students welcomed a new edition to our boarding family this month. Dr Joe Slavens has joined us as our new college manager.
No stranger to boarding, Joe came from City Beach Residential College in Perth where he was a boarding supervisor for three years. Prior to that, he worked at various universities in the United States as a Resident Director and Dean of Students, and as a secondary teacher.
Originally from the west coast of America, Joe moved to Western Australia with his Australian wife and their three children in 2015. Since arriving, they have been enjoying the Australian lifestyle and living near family. All five of them are proud Australian citizens.
Both Joe and his wife grew up in small farming towns (albeit in different countries), so they understand what it means to be country kids. This understanding enables them to connect well with boarding students and their parents.
Joe is passionate about providing the best possible opportunities for country students to access a good education and have a supportive home-away-from-home in their formative years.
Joe said he was thrilled to be able to lead a dedicated team at Geraldton Residential College and share his experience from City Beach and the United States.
“The College has a great reputation and I would like to build on this by working closely with staff and students to create the ideal home-away-from-away for students from the Midwest and beyond.
“On a personal level, my family and I are looking forward to being part of the Geraldton community. This is a great opportunity to live in the country and do what I am passionate about,” he said.
Joe has a PhD in Higher Education, specialising in organisational leadership. He also holds a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies and Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Political Science.