Get To Know: Zac Holmes, Senior Associate Director

By: 

Zac Holmes joined the Division of Student Affairs in November 2008 as housing manager for Housing and Residence Life. In his current role as the senior associate director, Holmes oversees the day-to-day department operations and long-term planning and represents Housing and Residence Life on many division, campus and university initiatives. Prior to joining the Division of Student Affairs, Holmes worked for major hospitality organizations. He is a member of the Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity. Get to know him in this Q&A.

If you could live in any other era of time, when would you live and why?
I would jump 200 or maybe 300 years in the future. I think it would be fun to see what new discoveries were made over the next few centuries and how they will shape the world.

What’s your go-to snack?
Potato chips.

Why has IUPUI been the right place for you?
Consistently, it has been both the people and the work that make this the right place for me. On the work front, I’ve had new and complex projects every two to three years which keeps me learning and each one has had positive impact across the campus community creating meaning in addition to the impact of my day-to-day work. On the people front, I continue to be surrounded by teammates and colleagues who care about the work we do, care on a human level about one-another and care about the impact on our students and their families, and that’s a team I am proud to be a part of.

What is your favorite event at IUPUI and why?
It may not be officially coined as an event but I really enjoy move-in. It’s both a kicking off point as new students come to campus to start their journey with us, as well as the culmination of intense annual department operations. Seeing the excitement and sense of accomplishment of colleagues for all the work that went into getting to move-in, combined with the excitement of the student staff, students and their families, is energizing.

What movie makes you laugh every time you see it?
I’m not so much a comedy fan for movies, but there isn’t an episode of Grace and Frankie that hasn’t made me laugh.

Favorite things to do around the Indianapolis area?
The network of trails and paths throughout the city are amazing! Warm or cold outside, you’ll find me walking or out on my bicycle either for a short stroll or an afternoon exploring the city to find a place outside for a meal. One of my favorite places to go is the canal, especially when there are live concerts.

If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?
The ability to fly. I think it would be exhilarating and fun to be able to see the world from a different perspective. And there’s always the practical side thinking about the world of new things I could do in an afternoon.