Lead Editorial: We Need to Appreciate Drew’s Staff More

Para leer este artículo en la original español visita: https://thedrewacorn.com/?p=16215

Every day, Drew relies on the effort of countless staff members who work to keep our campus running smoothly. These staff members work relentlessly to ensure everyone stays happy, healthy and safe, yet they rarely receive the appreciation they deserve. 

The campus community needs to recognize the work that all of these staff members do and how much better they make our lives. Dining, custodial, maintenance and security staff work tirelessly to make our campus the best it can be. Without them, our campus could not be the place that it is.

Rain, shine or snow, these staff members are here to help us. Even when work and classes get called off, they are always here. When the administration calls off classes because the weather is too dangerous, staff across all departments still come to campus to work. Regardless of weather, they are here making us meals, cleaning our offices and dorms, snowplowing the paths and keeping us safe.

Even more, when it is needed, staff comes in early in the morning or stays late at night. During snowstorms, facilities staff spend the whole night plowing the paths and roads so students can wake up to clear routes to classes, work and dining halls. Even when we wake up to the sound of blowers, we need to remember that there are staff members working through the night in the cold for us.

Additionally, many members of the staff work far more than someone should. Many employees work in both the Ehinger Center and the Commons, and many members of the custodial staff take care of entire buildings themselves. 

Just this week, Carmen, who works in the on-campus Starbucks, handled what seemed to be more than a hundred orders on her own. Usually Carmen works with Janet, yet even when they are both there, they are constantly busy making coffee for so many people on campus. Despite working nonstop, they both greet everyone and make sure that they are happy. 

“On some of my worst and most stressful days, Carmen has taken the time to talk with me and cheer me up. I appreciate how she always makes time for people, even when she is busy or tired. She makes Drew feel like a home away from home with all the warmth and love she shares with us,” said Sierra Walker (‘25). 

In Brother’s College, the staff members at Zaro’s also take excellent care of us. They work quickly during passing periods so everyone can get coffee and snacks between classes, and they are delightful people to talk to. 

“When I go into Zaro’s in the morning to pick up coffee and a pastry, Lena, Diana and Valentina always greet me with a smile and they know me by name,” said Keiran Dugan (‘26).

In our busiest and most stressful moments, the members of the dining staff make sure we are happy—and well caffeinated.

Other dining staff also work incredibly hard for us, all the while staying positive and personable. While working long hours, with tons of food to make, they make a point to make every day better for faculty and students. Whether you’re picking up food in the Ehinger Center, ordering from the grill in Commons or just passing through, the dining staff makes conversation, remembers our names and makes our days brighter. 

When talking about why she appreciates the staff, Sam DeFalco (‘25) said, “The staff is always very nice, remembers me by name and cheers me up every day.”

Moreover, while Drew is adjusting to dining changes with GrubHub and Gourmet Dining, the dining staff has been adaptable and efficient, while maintaining a positive attitude during these difficult times. The campus recently faced problems with WiFi and power outages, which the dining staff worked through with admirable perseverance.

“I have walked into Zaro’s after GrubHub has been down to see the baristas sifting through piles of receipts and running around to get orders made while still maintaining a friendly attitude with students waiting for their orders,” said Dugan.

Furthermore, the staff we do not see or interact with also serve as the backbone of our campus. Custodial and maintenance staff take care of our communal areas as well as administrative and academic buildings. 

Every hall, classroom, office and lounge is cleaned by our amazing custodial staff. It is also important to recognize that the custodial staff works when it is most convenient for us. This means that they wait until late at night for classes to finish to clean academic buildings, wait to clean dorms until students are awake and come in everyday to keep things clean. 

“Every day when I walk out of my dorm room to go to class, the lady who cleans Haselton is in my hall and despite me interrupting her work, she says good morning and makes sure I don’t trip over the vacuum cord. It’s always a nice start to the morning to interact with such a kind person,” said Walker.

Similarly, maintenance and facilities staff work hard to keep our campus put together and safe. Along with taking care of the beautiful forest we get to live and work in, they fix our dorms, classrooms and offices when there are issues. Whether it is a larger issue like heating or cooling or something small, like a burnt out lightbulb, the staff works through tons of requests to keep campus running. 

Despite having so much work to do in response to problems, these staff members also take the time to do preventative maintenance so that our school can continue to be a safe and comfortable place for students and faculty in the future.

Even though we may not always see these custodial and maintenance staff members, they are inarguably vital to the way our campus functions and we are privileged to have their support. 

With all this in mind, it is important that we as a campus community show our appreciation and respect for the amazing staff at Drew. Without them, our lives would not be the same and we would not have the privilege to focus on our education and work in the ways we can. So, the Drew Acorn believes that we need to shine a light on the dedication and hard work of these staff members. 

The staff on our campus should not be as underappreciated as they are and everyone, students and faculty alike, should acknowledge everything that they do for us. It is sad to think about how many staff members each of us depends on that we do not even know the names of.

As Benjamin Castro (‘25) said, “Drew wouldn’t feel the same without our amazing staff. I really appreciate their kindness and dedication every day.”

Every one of us should follow Castro’s lead and make a point to appreciate the staff every day. Next time you are in a dining hall, see a maintenance or facilities staff member or run into a custodian, do your best to show them how much you care about them. Whether it is a smile, a thank you or a conversation, they deserve so much more appreciation and attention than many of us afford them and it is high time that changes. 

If you know of a staff member who you would like to shout out, please fill out the form at thedrewacorn.com/staff-shout-outs. 

Featured image courtesy of @drewu_eats on Intsagram.

Lead Editorial is a reflection of the collective opinion of the editorial board.