ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é

Caitlin Drouillard-Ahlrichs remembers the exact moment that she made the decision to work for ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é. 

Thirteen years ago, she was across the country in California, her home state, for a job interview. She had to decide between a tutorship at San Diego State University and a graduate assistantship at ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é. 

"I remember walking around the campus at San Diego State, and it was so big and overwhelming," she says. "I just felt like I would be a number there, and I didn’t feel like I would be that at ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é. I really had to choose, and I kind of chose Peg Adams. She’s the reason I’m here."

Drouillard-Ahlrichs began as a graduate assistant for , working under Adams. She was also a resident assistant (RA) for University Housing and later became an assistant hall director.

She left ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é in 2014 but stayed in higher education, finding roles as a residence life coordinator at Bellarmine University and a site coordinator and academic advisor at Thomas More College, where she received her bachelor’s degree in English. 

After two years, Drouillard-Ahlrichs returned to ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é and rejoined the University Housing staff as a residence hall director. When she found out she was pregnant with her daughter, Rory, she decided to step down and find a role that would allow her to better balance work and life at home with a baby. She found an opening in the College of Health and Human Services, where she worked as an academic advisor for four years. 

"I really enjoyed my time there, and I feel like I learned so much," she says. "But I needed something different. I wanted to feel more fulfilled."

Things came full circle when Drouillard-Ahlrichs had a lunch date with Adams and learned about a coordinator role opening in UCAP. 

Needless to say, she didn’t need much convincing to apply for the job.

"UCAP helps students feel connected and find their space on campus so that they’re not dragged around to multiple offices. UCAP helps them find where they need to go," she says. "It really spoke to me—finally being back with students and having that one-on-one connection."

In 2023, she was promoted to program coordinator. Drouillard-Ahlrichs currently coordinates care for more than 200 students each semester and provides solutions for personal, academic and financial concerns. She also oversees the operation of ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é’s Care Closet.

Drouillard-Ahlrichs, who has a master’s degree in English from ÎÞÂëÇ¿¼é, is also working on a second master’s degree in social work.

She’s completing a therapy internship at Ellie Mental Health this semester and hopes to work closely with the queer population after graduation. 

"That’s why I’m in the social work program; I really want to work with the queer population," she says. "I would love to be able to be that next stop for students in this age group. I work with a lot of queer students. Being able to be that person to help them weather the storm is what I was really looking for."

She has served as the president of Staff, Administrators and Faculty for Equity (S.A.F.E.) and as a S.A.F.E. mentor in the LGBTQA+ SI QPLUS program since 2023. 

Drouillard-Ahlrichs is passionate about her work and creating a safe environment for students, but many of her favorite memories—including sneaking out of an RA training to meet her now wife at a church festival—have one thing in common: chosen family. 

"I think a lot of my favorite memories are just building that chosen family," she says. "Those little moments add up. And I keep finding more people who I just kind of add to my chosen family and become important to my life. There are truly amazing people here. There are so many opportunities to meet people without even trying. Join a committee, and all of a sudden you have the possibility of 25 new friends."