House Father

Jake Schuler is a man of many responsibilities at Olivet College. When new male students come to Olivet, he is the one on the ground floor of Blair Hall (pictured) giving his advice, doing the

For many students, Schuler carries a housefather demeanor. His hobbies include grilling, cooking and his dog Ailyn (a lab mix). He enjoys most sports, watching movies (“Star Wars,” superhero movies, war movies and comedies), playing board games and video games, and collecting comics.

Intramural (IM) sports are the reason Schuler chose Olivet over other colleges. He loves IM

Sports and was very active with them at Kansas State University, his alma mater. As the director of the IM sports on campus, he also provides a service to groups who want to form sports teams. “Independents come to me, I try to place them on a team or help them form their own team. This usually depends on how active the student wants to be about it,” Schuler said. MIAA athletes may also participate in IM sports other than their declared MIAA sport.

Schuler is from Wichita, Kansas. He has a bachelor degree in graphic design from Kansas State University, where he was also a resident advisor for three years. Schuler has been at Olivet for 10 years. As a Student Life administrator, Schuler oversees the hall directors, apartment managers and resident advisors. He remarks that during his time here (and under Dr. Linda Logan’s leadership), “Lots of improvements have taken place: Computer labs added, redoing and updating rec rooms. We have added surveillance cameras, new furniture, and water machines. Programing has also improved within the residence halls. Olivet is updating the bathrooms in the residence halls during summer 2015,” he wrote in an email for this interview.

To students who are graduating or about to graduate, Schuler gives the following advice, “Be excited, be nervous, and jump into your life after college! This is what you worked so hard for, now just take the next step.” To students who are entering Olivet College, he gives the following advice, “Get involved. College is what you make of it. You choose to be involved and active or to not be.”

“I enjoy the people (of Olivet College) as a whole. The college is very welcoming. Specifically, I really enjoy my department and the people in it.” His colleagues include Logan, vice president and dean for Student Life; Jason Meadows, associate dean of Student Life; Shawn Holt, Student Life administrative assistant and Housing coordinator; Phil Reed, director of Campus Safety; as well as the Campus Safety staff.