IN THEIR SPACE ED AND MARYSUE RYAN

SPIRIT

In TheirSpace

THE COMFORTS AWAY FROM HOME

HOW ED AND MARYSUE RYAN ARE BRINGING

NORMALCY TO THE LIVES OF GILMOUR DORMERS

DURING THE PANDEMIC.

It’s hard enough to endure the pandemic under normal circumstances. And when you’re a high school student apart from your family, it can seem even more daunting. That’s why, in managing the Gilmour dorms during COVID-19, Ed and MarySue Ryan have gone to great lengths to help the 49 dormers feel as comfortable as possible. Through it all, they’ve acted from a place of love.

“We view these students as an extension of our family,” says Ed, who manages the dorm with his wife, MarySue. “Open the door so you can help them walk through, that’s what we do.”

The Ryans have opened the door in so many ways. Sure, they’ve seen to it that students clean their rooms, attend study hall and do their homework. But they’ve also checked on their emotional health, made themselves available during off-hours and tried to establish a family atmosphere at a time when that seems most unlikely.

They’ve done it as a team, by strategically compartmentalizing their roles. MarySue makes sure students are keeping up with their daily responsibilities; Ed asks about their emotional well-being. Whatever the demands, there’s one mainstay. If it’s Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., one of the Ryans will be there to manage things. Ed sends students off in the morning, MarySue is there to greet them after school.

“Establishing a family atmosphere for the students has been very difficult this year,” MarySue says. “We haven’t been able to gather for meals or decorate at the holidays. And yet our task is to foster community while staying safe during a pandemic. It’s been tough.”

Without the usual bonding activities to bring dormers together, the Ryans have gone to great lengths to make life during COVID-19 feel as normal as possible. Where they once took dormers to the movies, the climbing gym, museums or dinner, the Ryans have gotten creative on campus. Outside, they’ve hosted a closest-to-the-pin contest and a cornhole tournament. Inside, there’s been a Super Bowl party with all the fixins and ice cream sundae nights. It’s all helped normalize life for teens who really need it. Along the way, proctors have lent a helpful hand to dormers during study hall, workouts, even snowman building.

Another thing has brought comfort to the students - comfort food. Before the pandemic hit, it came to light that dorm students were spending a lot of money on food delivery. This year, Gilmour has taken steps to make food available to dormers during non-meal times.

A kitchen that once belonged to a proctor has been made accessible for student use. Students can make something if they want to, and the area is stocked with snacks and drinks. In addition, every night at 9 p.m. there’s a “dorm feed,” where residents can come down for comfort food like mac and cheese or rice and beans and chat with each other while socially distanced. As a result, the Ryans see a difference in dormers’ morale.

“This year, because of COVID-19, they’re only allowed to socialize with people on their floor,” Ed says. “But when we have these feeds, they can socialize with people they haven’t seen.”

“I think they love it because it’s a routine,” MarySue adds. “It’s comforting, because we do it every night. It’s a social atmosphere, and it brings people together.”

During the pandemic, that’s exactly what the Ryans have worked so hard to do.