January 25th - Al

I really like working at HPU, and the biggest reason for that is the community of people that work here. There's always something really interesting going on on the academic side of things, with professors giving lectures and doing research and bringing in fascinating speakers.  There's great athletic events to attend, and our theater and music departments put on wonderful productions and concerts.

But there's a less "glamorous" side to the university, and it is equally valuable because it helps make this place run.  I'm talking about the people that Mike Rowe would feature on his TV show.  The people building the new facilities where our students will live and learn.  The unsung individuals that serve food in the cafeteria, or answer phone calls from worried parents, or make sure that the shuttle buses run efficiently and effectively.   The people that help to keep this university as pristine as possible, which, based on how our guests rave about this place, sets the bar for other college campus very high.

I always make it a point to say hello to the Campus Enhancement team as they are mowing the lawns or cleaning the buildings, because I feel that they can often be ignored in the hustle and bustle that goes on during any given day at this university.  One of those team members, Al, sticks out for me, and yesterday I got a chance to talk with him for a little bit before he continued on with his shift.



Al

Al is one of the first people I see when I start my day at work.  He is responsible for the maintenance and cleaning of the Millis Center, which is our main athletic building and is next to the building that houses my office.  Millis is home to our basketball and volleyball games, as well as a pool, racquetball courts, offices, classrooms, and athletic training labs. There's a lot to cover and a lot to do, but Al handles it all without a complaint.  He's always smiling when he says hello, and there's something about starting your day with a friendly, warm greeting that gets you ready for whatever challenges await you.

Al has worked here for three years at High Point University.  He started out assigned to one of the residence halls on campus, and did that for about two years.  He's been assigned to the Millis Center for the past year.

Al: I like the people and the environment here.  I mean, it's a job, but I like it.  I clean, do some utility work, it's a little bit of everything. It's always very busy, especially when everyone is back here on campus, like when the students come back from break.

At night I have another job where I clean bowling alleys, day care centers, places like that.  I'm all over the place

Lars: I actually used to do that too.  One summer I worked with my best friend's dad's company, and we cleaned offices and pre-schools.  It's amazing the mess those little kids make!

Al: You're telling me!

Lars: Do you like working here in the athletics center more than working in the residence halls?

Al: I don't know if I like it more, it's just different.  Both working directly with students and not working with them has challenges.  After big games, for example, this place can be a mess.  But the weekends in the dorms were the worst.  Mondays after a big weekend, actually, were the worst.  They got a little...messsy, and I'm gonna leave it at that!  I was over there for two years and this has been a nice change.

Al is from High Point, born and raised.  In fact, the house where he grew up in was purchased by the university several years ago (the area is now a parking lot for employees).

Al: It's crazy how much has changed around here.  It really has been crazy to see it grow up so much.

That growth has included the staff here on campus.  With the Campus Enhancement group, there's about 30 staff members in charge of cleaning the grounds, and that's just on the first shift.

Al: People come and go here, but it's usually around that number.  You miss some of the people that leave, like Brandon (he was the guy that used to be in charge of Millis before Al moved over).

Lars: Oh yeah that's right! I liked Brandon a lot, he had just gotten engaged before he left.

Al: Yup, he's married now and has a kid on the way.  He's a firefighter now.

What's the meal that reminds the most of home?

Al: Man, I can't think of one, and I'm a big eater! I really can't think of anything, probably a little bit of everything. Cube steak, that's my favorite meal.

Will the world be better in 20 years?

Al: I'm hoping so, that's a hard question to answer right now to be honest. I'm kinda scared of Trump, scared of that man, but I wanna see how these next four years go. 

If you could bring back one musician who would it be?

Al: That's a tough one. It's a toss up, but I gotta go with either MJ or Prince.

Lars: Those have been the two most popular this month.  Lisa, over in Norcross, was a huge Prince fan, and that's who she picked.

Al: Yeah, that's probably who I would lean towards.

What was the most significant thing that happened last year?

Al: Personally, I think it's maybe working in the snow.  I'm not used to doing that living around here. My life is boring, I don't do much else than work.

I think what Al and his team did during the recent snowstorm is indicative of the commitment that the Campus Enhancement group has to making this a safe place for students. The snow began falling on Friday, January 6th, and continued throughout the weekend.  Our students were set to arrive on Sunday, January 8th, which of course meant that campus had to be cleared for them to get here.

The Campus Enhancement team dedicated over 870 hours of manpower and had access to 60 tons of rock salt.  They worked through all hours of the weekend to make sure they could get things ready. The university had about eight inches of snow on campus, which is quite a lot for our area (I can already see my Maine friends rolling their eyes at this). By the time our students got to campus, the roads were clear and they were able to get around campus.  It was truly an amazing effort after such a large storm.

And it was all because of the work of people like Al that made it possible for those students returning from break to find their campus home a safe and welcoming place.  It's easy to overlook those efforts sometimes, and to take them for granted.  But this place, and many places like it, wouldn't run without people like Al, and I'm thankful that he's here.