This study collected student-faculty interaction data from faculty-in-residence programs on college campuses. We developed an empirically tested model using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The model suggests that student-faculty interaction in faculty-in-residence programs is best explained through five factors: knowledge of the faculty-in-residence position, social interactions, academic interactions, deeper life interactions, and value of the faculty-in-residence role. This study addresses an important gap in understanding student-faculty interaction by explaining how such interaction occurs.