Tyler Harrison joined FS in September 2018 during the final two weeks of preparation for move-in. She recalls the fast-paced preparation including final room turns and walkthroughs as the campus was prepared for the return of students. Prior to joining FS, Harrison worked in undergraduate housing services where she managed facilities at Illinois Institute of Technology. This experience provides her a unique perspective in her current role; she anticipates the students’ communication needs and crafts informative messages for her client, Housing and Residence Life (HRL), to support their service to the students.
“As a facilities manager, I am responsible for maintaining the infrastructure of the residence halls and dining facilities within my assigned portfolio,” Harrison shared. She manages a portfolio including Granville Grossman Residence Hall, Burton Judson Residence Hall, Cathey Dining Hall, and Midway Market Cafe. Typically, Harrison spends most of her time on Campus South meeting with maintenance and custodial staff and conducting her inspection rounds on the interior and exterior of the buildings. She stated, “I have learned to value and use their experience to uphold our Facilities Services motto to “Build and Maintain Excellence.”
Recently, Harrison became an APPA Young Professional (AYP). According to APPA, the AYP’s are 35 years old or younger, have recently begun a career in the field of facilities management, and have fresh new ideas to share with the broader membership. When she joined FS, Harrison noted that there are multiple APPA initiatives to support professional development and improve organizational efficiencies. She identified AYP as a vehicle to build rapport with colleagues and to broaden her professional reach. Harrison volunteered to write the article entitled, APPA Young Professional (AYP) in a Supervisory Role, which was posted on the APPA website in May.