Milligan’s new activities director, Juan Villalba, arrived with an almost gravitational field of enthusiasm at the start of the 2024-25 school year—so much so that if you pass him in the hallway, you might feel yourself drawn into the orbit of his student-life fervor. His impossible-to-miss energy suggests big plans, or at least future calendars so jam-packed with color-coded events that your phone’s reminder app might protest.
This isn’t just another “fresh face, fresh ideas” campus announcement. Villalba’s trajectory reads less like a standard résumé and more like an extended prologue, where every anecdote leads neatly to his new role. He has a background in mental health—meaning he carries that subtle brand of optimism that only slightly (over?) caffeinated campus professionals tend to perfect. He’s also spent time at Appalachian Christian Camp, so he’s well-versed in the art of communal fun in large, occasionally chaotic group settings. Now, he’s here with a bright-eyed intention to coax students from the dorm lounge into shared campus experiences—something as lively as a Nerf war or a tubing trip.
“When I was living on campus as a college student, the activities were an important part of my experience,” Villalba said. He isn’t reading from a script; you can see the memories forming in real time. “It’s a place for meaningful experiences that supplement campus life.”…