Roderick Ellis, from Willingboro, N.J., recently started working as Arcadia University’s new Environmental Health and Safety Officer. His responsibilities include creating safety plans, mitigating hazards, and advising on regulatory requirements and practices to keep students, faculty, and campus safe.

“I was attracted to Arcadia by the opportunity to help build a safety culture,” Ellis said. “A healthy and safe college campus environment means a place where people can come to learn and work and know that they will be protected.”

Ellis previously worked as a federal contractor responsible for safety audits and advising on proper safety procedures. He spent time as a Sheriff’s Deputy in Salt Lake County, Utah, and as a Bioenvironmental Engineering Technician with the U.S. Air Force Reserves, where he learned skills in noise and air sampling and personal protective equipment usage. Ellis also served in the U.S. Air Force as a Weapons Load Crew Chief for six years.

“Those careers taught me how important it is to have patience when dealing with people,” he said. “We want to build a culture of safety here, and that can be difficult because it requires changing certain negative attitudes and behaviours. I want to work with all stakeholders to ensure that we are safe on campus and beyond. My main goal may seem cliché, but it is simply to keep students, faculty, and staff safe!”

Now that Ellis is acquainted with the campus, he is ready to make a positive impact on the Arcadia community.

“I hope that my days are filled with being a presence around campus that employees know they can come to regarding the safe operation of campus equipment,” he said. “I believe that this is important work because everyone wants to feel safe while they are here. It is my responsibility to think about how we maintain safety while also allowing for learning and creativity to flourish.”