Assistant Director
Residential Experience
Email: lmerchan@usc.edu
Phone: 213.821.9554
Education:
Master’s Degree (M.Ed.), Student Affairs, UCLA
B.A., Sociology, UCLA
Bio + Fun Facts:
Laura Merchant is originally from Rochester Hills, Michigan, but has lived in California since 2006. She attended UCLA for both undergrad and grad school earning a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Disability Studies, and a Masters in Student Affairs. During undergrad she was involved in Residential Life as a student leader, Education Studies as a discussion section leader, and the Office for Students with Disabilities as an intern. She gained professional experience in UCLA Residential Life as a Program Coordinator for Graduate Student Housing and Academic Initiatives. She worked at UC Riverside for six years in Residential Life as a Resident Director in a first-year residence hall where she oversaw a living learning community for students in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. While at UCR she gained experience with RHA, NRHH, and held a collateral assignment with Orientation. In her free time Laura loves musical theatre. She tries to go to New York City once a year to see current shows on Broadway, but loves to travel anywhere she can. Laura also enjoys coffee shops, exploring new places to eat, anything with an ocean view, and binging a new TV series. Now at USC, Laura serves as the Assistant Director for Residential Experience where she oversees many large-scale events like Welcome Experience events and the Residential College Cup competition. She enjoys the student reactions to attending events, working with her Graduate Assistants, and collaborating with campus partners.