SEARCY — Brandon Tittle, a new assistant dean of students for Harding University in Searcy, said the school has a special place in his heart.
Although he is a native of Dallas, he is a Harding University graduate and has worked there 7 1/2 years.
He assumes his new duties on Aug. 1.
“I started my undergraduate degree [at Harding] in 2000, and completed my master’s degree in 2006,” Tittle said.
He has a bachelor’s degree in youth and family ministry, and his master’s degree is in ministry.
“This is where my parents met,” Tittle said. “It’s just in my family.”
He started his career at the university as a graduate assistant in 2005, for what was then the Institute for Church and Family, he said.
“I did a bunch of stuff [as a graduate assistant],” Tittle said. “I started helping with Uplift then.”
Uplift is a summer camp for teenagers, where they are able to go to Bible studies and classes at Harding University, and he became the director.
After working as a graduate assistant, he moved to associate director of the Mitchell Center for Leadership and Ministry at the university.
“I love working with students through those four formative years they spend here,” Tittle said.
In his current position, Tittle said he is in charge of the mission trip students go on during spring break every year.
“One year we went to New York City,” Tittle said. “In this position, I’ve traveled all over — from California to New York.”
Tittle said he works on leadership development in students and works as an adviser when registering for classes rolls around every year for students majoring in leadership and ministry.
“I’m going to be directing the residence life programs, and work with the resident assistants and residence life coordinators,” Tittle said.
As an assistant dean of students, Tittle said he is going to miss the people he worked with as associate director of the Mitchell Center for Leadership and Ministry.
Tittle is taking Zach Neal’s place, who was promoted to assistant vice president for student life.
Tittle is one of five deans of students. He will specifically oversee the residence-life program for male students and will handle disciplinary problems if they arise, he said.
He said his experiences in his current position will help him relate to students as the new assistant dean.
“I’ll do a lot of similar things [to my current position], such as working directly with students,” Tittle said.
He said his favorite part of Harding University is the community atmosphere.
“It feels like everybody knows everybody,” Tittle said. “Our students do a lot of cool things, and they are fun to watch.”
Staff writer Lisa Burnett can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or lburnett@arkansasonline.com.