By Emily Gonshorowski | Guest Contributor
Long before the day’s first classes begin, janitors at the University of Lynchburg have already spent hours making the campus feel like home. A dedicated team of custodians cleans classrooms, empties trash bins, and ensures that the campus is ready for another day of developing the next generation of leaders.
For many janitors, their job extends beyond cleaning; it’s about the relationships they’ve built on campus.
“One of the things I really enjoy about my job is the interaction(s) with the people I run into,” says Carroll Lambert, a campus custodian who has worked for the university for 10 years.
Unlike some workplaces where the janitorial staff may go unnoticed, the janitors at Lynchburg say they feel a true sense of community on campus. Whether it’s a quick conversation in the hallway or a familiar student stopping in to say hello, they say these moments make the job special.
While many aspects of the job can be rewarding, janitors say they also face challenges, particularly concerning cleanliness in communal spaces.
In some first-year dorms, where students are adjusting to living independently for the first time, respect is not always evident. Janitors say that while they feel connected to students, the lack of accountability can be frustrating.
“They have burnt up so many burners,” says Sheila Murphy, a custodian who works in one of the first-year dorms on campus. “Other students tell me they can’t use the kitchens because other people are congregating in them,” Murphy explains that the mess left behind is an ongoing issue beyond the space being crowded.
However, despite ongoing issues with cleanliness among first-year students, janitors continue to show up each day with the same dedication to the university, knowing that their presence helps create a home away from home for students on campus.
