Cardinal chosen as new resident master

This May, as Mahoney Residential College bids farewell to an associate master, Hecht Residential College will greet the same man as its new resident master. His name is Vince Cardinal, and he is scheduled to move into Hecht in the fall.

As the Chairman of the Department of Theatre Arts, Cardinal is no stranger to UM. For the past four years, he has not only interacted positively with college students, but has lived among them as well.

Each of the five residential colleges at UM is home to one resident master and two associate masters. Based on the housing systems of Cambridge and Oxford Universities in England, these scholars live within the residential colleges and open their doors to residing students. The resident master meets with the entire residential staff on a weekly basis in order to plan various activities and programs for students residing at the complex.

Cardinal looks forward to his new position because he enjoys being an integral part of campus life.

“Hecht has over twenty years of history, and it has been developed nicely,” Cardinal said. “I hope to build upon that past in order to continue to meet current students’ needs and give them the best college experience possible.”

As chairman of the Department of Theater Arts, he runs the academic department for theater students. He is also the producer at the Ring Theatre and generates five to six productions annually. Cardinal is a graduate of Kent State University and the Yale School of Drama.

Cardinal came to UM because, from a theatrical perspective, “there’s no ceiling-we are able to excel as much as we desire.”

Prior to joining UM, Cardinal was the director of the School of Theater at Ohio University. He was also the Head of the MFA Playwriting Program, and has written many plays. His play The Colorado Catechism has been produced internationally along with the screenplay Paollo Pasta. He served as a writing consultant for The State on MTV and was an assistant to the head writer of the popular soap opera One Life to Live. He also received a regional Emmy nomination for his musical comedy First Day of School.

Tom Recktenwald, sophomore, has had the opportunity to interact with Cardinal as both a theater student and a Mahoney resident.

“Mr. Cardinal is well-versed, experienced, honest and to the point,” Recktenwald said. “His main goal is to take care of his students and ensure that we enjoy what we’re doing.” As a Mahoney resident, Recktenwald adds, “Mr. Cardinal is an open door and a listening ear. He is always there for advice, and I can always talk to him regardless of the issue.”

Cardinal is looking forward to his new role at Hecht.

“It’s a great way to become a part of the intellectual community,” Cardinal said. “As an educator, I love to see students grow and develop, and this is one more opportunity to do so.”

Neha Patel can be contacted at n.patel9@umiami.edu