If you’ve checked your inbox on a Thursday afternoon, you’ve probably heard of Brent Papson. To many students, he’s simply “the guy who sends the weekly email.” But behind the hidden puzzles, campus reminders and spirited sign-offs is a leader whose work actively shapes the student experience across Bucknell.
In June 2025, Papson stepped into the role of Assistant Dean of Student Life after nearly a decade serving as Director of Campus Activities and Student Media. The title may have changed, but the heart of his work remains the same: fostering student connection across campus.
“I think what I like most about my job is that no two days are the same,” Papson said.
On any given day, he might move from an event at 7th Street MakerSpace & Studio to a meeting with Fraternity and Sorority Affairs before ending the evening at “The Bucknellian’s” production night as our advisor. The variety, he explained, is what keeps the work interesting.
While the academic calendar follows familiar rhythms, Papson says it’s the students who make each year distinct. “Even though you’re putting on similar events and programs with similar challenges and opportunities, they always look slightly different because the students are different every year.”
That student-centered approach has taken on a broader scope in his new position. Papson describes the transition as adopting “more of a holistic approach,” looking beyond individual programs to the broader question of how students find connection.
“My goal is to help every student feel like they have a sense of belonging and connection to campus,” he said.
That goal has materialized in the launch of a Spirit and Traditions initiative, complete with a committee of student representatives from each class year alongside Bucknell staff members. The group has introduced ’Ray Days, encouraging students to wear orange and blue on Fridays. They also launched the Charter Day celebration on Feb. 5, featuring decorations in the Elaine Langone Center, the original 1846 charter displayed in Bertrand Library and the debut of the Bison Freeze competition honoring the University’s founding as the University at Lewisburg.
“When I was first given the task of the spirit and traditions, it was a little overwhelming because Bucknell has been here for such a long time,” Papson said. With help from University Archives, he began exploring earlier campus customs and imagining how they might be revived or reshaped. “It gives me a better appreciation for Bucknell and the institution it has become. I think it’s pretty special that we all get to be a part of that.”
For Papson, celebrating tradition is not about nostalgia alone – it’s about continuity. The hope is that today’s initiatives will become tomorrow’s long-standing traditions that Bucknellians will value for years to come.
The same philosophy underlies his approach to student media. Advising “The Bucknellian,” he sees the organization as both an educational opportunity and a historical record. “I think it’s one of the best experiences that you can have on campus,” he said, citing the leadership structure, deadlines and accountability. “You are documenting Bucknell’s history here. Every single article that you write is on the web … Every single issue printed is in University Archives and will be there forever.”
Papson did not always know he would work in higher education. A communications major who once planned a career in public relations, he worked at a PR firm in Washington, D.C. before realizing that PR and sales were not for him. After moving back to Pennsylvania, he took an interim position directing student activities at his alma mater, Susquehanna University.
Reflecting on that role, he said, “I realized that I loved working with students. The energy they bring, the fresh ideas – just the optimistic approach to the work that they’re doing.”
Encouraged to pursue graduate study, Papson earned his master’s degree in College Student Personnel at Bucknell before eventually joining the University full-time. The move from Susquehanna to Bucknell was not without adjustment. “I came [to Bucknell] and I didn’t know anybody, nobody knew me, and it was hard at first. You’ve got to start somewhere, and this is a great place to be.”
Today, his work spans Bucknell’s offices across campus and allows him to work with a wide range of staff members. Papson is quick to recognize the people who help his job run smoothly. Within the Campus Activities & Programs Center, he points to Courtney Ross, who supports student programs and the CAP Center Core; Ty Derk, who leads Seventh St. Studio & MakerSpace; and Rachel, who oversees student organizations and has taken a larger role in advising Bucknell’s student-run radio station WVBU. He also describes Associate Dean of Student Life Erin Paschal as their “fearless leader” and Kelly Reich, the CAP Center’s administrative assistant, as “the glue that keeps us together.”
“I think a lot of times I get credit for CAP Center events and programming just because I send an email and the CAP Center Core likes to put me on their Instagram,” Papson joked. “But we have such a great team.”
That same collaborative spirit defines his work with Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Alongside Director, Olivia Libby, Associate Director, Nellie Forker and Assistant Director, Anna Vaughn Stewart, Papson supports recruitment, leadership development and chapter initiatives.
“I didn’t realize how much those students care about the University and the student experience, and the bonds and the sense of community that they create on campus. I think it goes unmatched,” he said.
He hopes to challenge assumptions about Greek life by highlighting students’ philanthropic work and campus involvement. “I think oftentimes, our Greek community is judged by what people see downtown on a Saturday afternoon… But it’s so much more than that. And there’s so much more there that I just want everybody to see.”
As for the weekly email tradition, it began during COVID, when students said campus felt like “a big secret.” Papson chose weekly emails on Thursdays strategically– close enough to the weekend to shape plans, and not so frequent that students would tune them out. “My email is like I’m talking from me to you,” he said. He makes a point to try to respond to every student who writes back. “If I can be that person for people, I’d love that.”
Ultimately, whether he’s drafting a Thursday email, advising student leaders, brainstorming new traditions or sinking boats in Canoe Battleship, Papson carries with him a belief in shared identity.
“Our students have more in common than they think,” he said. “At the end of the day, I want everyone to realize that we’re all Bucknellians and we’ll always have that common thread in place, which is pretty powerful.”
