Introducing TFC’s New Director of Student Engagement

It is an exciting time whenever a new staff member joins Toccoa Falls College. This semester, TFC has the pleasure of introducing Danny Ringenoldus as the new Director of Student Engagement. 

Ringendolus was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended a Christian school for his primary education before attending Cedarville University in Ohio, where he graduated with a degree in Biology. He was not happy in his major, which led to a change in his career. 

“I was doing fine, and I was ready to go to med school, but my heart wasn’t in it. My advisor knew, my professors knew it, I knew it. I just didn’t have the courage to admit it because I felt like I would have been a failure if I stepped away from that field, like ‘Oh I’m changing because I can’t handle it,’" he shared.  

At Crown College, Ringendolus worked under the Director of Student Engagement for two years: "I was a student leader all through college. And I really enjoyed it and I did good at it. So, I pursued my master’s at Crown College doing similar work that I had done as a student, just as a supervisor.” 

His supervisor pushed him to apply for the Director of Student Engagement position, which led him to Toccoa Falls College. Ringenoldus knew immediately he wanted to be here, especially after meeting the SGA team.  

What does the Director of Student Engagement role involve? 

Ringenoldus oversees SGA, new student orientation, Service and Outreach opportunities (SAOs), all TFC 100 classes, and starting in the spring of 2022, all intramural sports. 

Ringenoldus said: “I knew the job description very well, so there were no surprises there, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so much fun. A lot of my job is literally just hanging out in the SGA office.” The only thing he was not expecting was the amount of rain and the lack of snow. 

Ringenoldus came to TFC with a few personal goals. For his first year, his primary goal is to learn and observe. In the future, Ringenoldus would like to replicate a past project.

“I did build an escape room at Crown in an abandoned dorm, so maybe sometime down the road that could happen. Crown is actually looking to open it to the public. Business students could run it, and it could serve as an SAO, so it could be like a community outreach that also makes money.” 

Finally, Ringenoldus had some words for TFC students: “I am here to help them have the best four years that they can, and that doesn’t just mean having fun. The reason I am in higher ed is because I benefited so greatly from my professors [and] my employers all wanting me to be the best person I can be and helping me change in college so much." 

If you get the chance, make sure to welcome Danny Ringendolus to TFC!