McCracken Named Director of Residence Life
Dr. Kyle McCracken will oversee the operation of Texas A&M’s 37 residence halls.
Dr. Kyle McCracken has been named the director of Residence Life at Texas A&M University, where he will oversee the operations of 37 residence halls and lead a team of over 500 employees to support on-campus student communities.
Dr. Kyle McCracken was named the director of Residence Life, a department within the Texas A&M Division of Student Affairs.
McCracken has been serving as the interim director since the retirement of long-time executive director Chareny Rydl in 2025.
“Texas A&M has a rich tradition of providing high-quality, on-campus living experiences,” McCracken said. “I look forward to the future of Residence Life at Texas A&M and building on the already caring and student-centered communities we have on our campus.”
The Department of Residence Life oversees the operation of 37 residence halls, accommodating more than 11,000 Texas A&M students. In addition, the department supports six living-learning communities and a variety of academic initiatives such as tutoring, technology and study spaces.
“Kyle is uniquely positioned to lead our Residence Life Department through an anticipated time of adding residence halls on campus in the relatively near future,” said Texas A&M Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Bill Kibler. “He is a dynamic leader who always keeps the needs and well-being of our students at the forefront of his daily operations.”
With more than 15 years of experience in student affairs and residence life, McCracken oversees a team of 505 employees, including 60 full-time staff and 445 student staff, and provides strategic leadership for departmental planning, budgeting, crisis management, and student engagement initiatives. He also provides oversight for all on-campus student organizations within Residence Life and their advising teams.
Prior to his role as the interim director, Kyle held positions as assistant director and coordinator within Residence Life, leading efforts in assessment, leadership development, student conduct, and retention.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in psychology from Southern Arkansas University, a master’s in College Student Personnel Services and Administration from the University of Central Arkansas, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Texas A&M University in 2020.
Kyle and his wife, Keeli, have four children: Ava (10), twins Leevi and Olivia (4) and Luke (1).
