Meeting workers at Fordham

By Andrew O’Grady

Angela Rodriguez, Security Guard

Angela Rodriguez is a Fordham University security guard, who watches over the entrance to Fordham Prep. She has been working as a guard since 2010 when she first moved to the United State from the Dominican Republic. She now lives in the Bronx and desperately misses her old life in the Dominican Republic. She misses her house, the weather and the people most of all. She moved to be with her family and take care of one of her daughters. Angela has three daughters and they are 31, 25 and 23. The eldest is currently a Jet Blue supervisor and the middle child is currently in medical school trying to become a doctor. The youngest is suffering from mild mental retardation and therefore Angela must take care of her so her daughter can try to live a normal life. Angela also told me she likes her job because its clean, not difficult, and she gets to meet new people, but there are some things that do annoy her. She explained to me that sometimes her supervisor would schedule her for a morning shift right after she works a 4-to-12 a.m. shift. She also told me that sometimes she gets pressured into working a double shift when a guard calls in sick, which really bugs her. Lastly she said she loves to travel and in 10 years dreams of being able to go all over the world.

Deborah Russelli, Business Manger

Deborah Russelli. Deborah is the business manger for facilities management at Fordham University. Deborah has two kids and loves working at the University because it is family-oriented and has improved her life greatly. Deborah told me her life wasn’t always so easy she told me that growing up in the Bronx was a challenge and she had to overcome a lot of obstacles. At 15, she and two sisters were kicked out Continue reading →

Meeting workers at Fordham

By Alex Mold

Santiago Bautista is a cleaner at Fordham University who has worked there since May 6^, 1993 – and he says he has has loved the university like a family ever since.

When he left the Dominican Republic in 1987, he came to New York only speaking Spanish. He was hired by Fordham in 1993, working in Keating Hall for Father Joseph M. McShane, now the president of the university. During this time he learned English from Dr. Jay Mancini in the

physics department at Fordham, and students helped him along the way. The funniest accidental moment he had while learning the language came with the difficulty of pronouncing the work “ask.” When Santiago wanted to ask Dr. Mancini a favor, he said, “can I ass you something.” Dr. Mancini taught him to pronounce the word, saying, “that’s a bad word you are using.”

As Santiago worked for Fordham, he learned to love the campus, and felt that Fordham loved him. Through thick and thin, the people at Fordham have thanked him and given him advice through all aspects of life, he said.

Because he works at Fordham, he and his family are offered free tuition at Fordham. He said he cannot wait until his kids, specifically his eldest son, can attend Fordham. He said he works at Fordham, not because of this benefit, but because the university is like a family to him. Santiago pointed out that when Father McShane offered remarks to the staff for their years of service, he gave everyone a short thank-you speech – but he offered Santiago, the priest gave a mushy emotional speech noting Santiago’s 20 years of service. Then they took a picture of themselves — one of Santiago’s favorite Continue reading →

Meeting Workers at Fordham

By Sara Gillooly

Alginet Graham works at Panda Express located in the basement of Fordham University’s McGinley Center. She was just recently transferred from another Panda Express, also in the Bronx. When she found out that she was being transferred to Fordham she was excited about the opportunity because her mom also used to work on Fordham’s campus many years ago. So far she’s thoroughly enjoyed her time spent as a Panda Express worker, as she loves talking to the Fordham students.

When Alginet isn’t working at Panda Express, she’s at home sewing clothes for her eight-month old son. Her husband stays home and takes care of him while she goes to work everyday.

Madelene Cruz works in the basement of Fordham University’s Keating Hall selling snacks and premade sandwiches. She has worked at Fordham for a year now and doesn’t have much of an opinion on whether or not she has been enjoying her job. She found a listing on craigslist for the cashier position she currently holds.

Madelene is originally from New York and now resides in the Bronx near campus. When she’s not working at Fordham, she has catering job.

By Alex Mold

I have worked two jobs I have loved. One of my jobs is working for Fordham University EMS, FUEMS, which I am an EMT and a Crew Chief. As a crew chief I am responsible for leading the crew and maintaining the safety of the crew and the patient. I have had an amazing time working for this organization and have had some amazing experiences like the time I helped deliver a baby. As a collegiate EMS organization, pregnancy and delivery are something that I have not experienced much, but this day stood out as the time we helped deliver a baby. I have also been responsible for saving a life. During the course of some call-heavy nights, I have had patients who have required additional resources to take care of them, following protocol of a trauma code. These calls are scary, as the patient’s life is immediately at risk and the decisions I make could Continue reading →

What I Learned from Work

By Emma Kilroy

Camp Counselor

I used to attend a Christian girls’ camp called Camp Hickory Hill in upstate New York, at the invitation of my cousins, who live in Rochester. Each summer I would make the six hour drive from central Pennsylvania to spend two weeks of cabin living, canoeing, campfires, and rock climbing. When my cousins and I turned 16 and graduated from the age limit for campers, becoming counselors seemed like the next logical step so that we could keep coming back. Room and board was free in exchange for supervising a cabin full of younger girls, and I was paid an additional $25 per week. It wasn’t much, but because it was my first job ever, this paycheck was a source of great joy for me. I couldn’t believe I was being paid to send more time in a place I loved. The other counselors that I worked with were all from the Rochester and Buffalo areas, and saw each other a lot when summer ended. I was the only staff member from another state, as well as the only non-born-again Christian, and I got a lot of questions about Pennsylvania and about Catholicism, but I always felt so welcomed by the incredible community formed by the staff and campers at Hickory Hill.

Yogurt Shop

For the summer before I entered my senior year of high school, because I was hired at Bamboo Frozen Yogurt Café. Located just fifteen-minutes from my house, I was able to drive myself to work, three times a week. My duties at the froyo store included greeting customers and answering their questions about the self-serve process, weighing and ringing up their yogurt creations, Continue reading →

What I Learned from My Own Work

By Andrew O’Grady

I was born in raised in the Bronx, New York and was constantly surrounded by people who were hard-working and employed. My mom had been supporting herself since she was fifteen years old with various jobs and my dad has worked with New York City Sanitation for about 20 years.

My first job was a summer camp job at my old middle school, Villa Maria Academy, in the the Bronx. I became a camp counselor there when I was 13 years old. This has to be one of my favorite jobs had because it shaped a love for working with children. The job helped me understand kids and discover how to interact with them.

When I was 16, I took a job in a restaurant called the Rambling House in the Bronx, but it turned out that hated this job with a passion. The hours were long and tedious and after a shift I felt physically depleted and exhausted. Working here taught me the importance of loving a job

Continue reading →