Maggie Alvarez ’17 is one of two student managers at New Dorm Dining Hall. Over the last three years Maggie has come to see the experience as one of the highlights of their time at Bryn Mawr.
An English major with an eye on a career in education, Maggie’s extensive work in New Dorm Dining Hall has armed them with valuable skills for the workplace.
“I’ve learned how to effectively communicate policy while making people feel like their voice is being heard,” says Maggie. “I think this is really important for teaching because I’m going to teach people with all different learning styles and cultural backgrounds.”
As a student manager in the dining hall, Maggie oversees training, hiring, scheduling, and payroll. In addition, Maggie organizes supervisor meetings and shifts, and communicates with the heads of Dining Services.
Maggie says that much of their work as a student manager is interpersonal, with the aim of creating a supportive environment for the workers. Every couple of weeks, the student managers host worker appreciation teas, which are known to have themes such as gingerbread house making and Beyonce.
In addition to their duties as a student manager, Maggie is also a Haffner supervisor.
“I try to have fun with my shifts,” says Maggie. “Sometimes the managers let us pick music, which is really fun and helps people bond.” Maggie recalls one lunch shift when they played “MMMBop” by Hanson nine times on repeat.
New Dorm Dining Hall usually employs 130 undergraduate students, twelve full-time staff, and three managers. In total, Dining Services employs 334 undergraduate students.
“At this point I’ve seen almost everything that could happen at Haffner, but I’m still ready for anything new,” says Maggie. “One time I had to chop twenty pounds of onions in two hours—it was a difficult feat but I left victorious.”
Maggie says that their work in New Dorm Dining Hall has been the best working experience they have ever had, thanks to the support and respect that students and full-time staff give each other.
Maggie has some advice for incoming first years who are soon to begin work in the dining hall.
“Treat Haffner like a real job, and know that it’ll be one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences you will have here at Bryn Mawr,” says Maggie. “You’ll be able to apply the skills you learn here in so many different places on campus and in working environments in the future.”