Where everybody knows your name

December 5, 2024

One of the hardest things for introverts, at least this introvert, is meeting new people. So, when I was asked to fill in at the front desk of the dean’s office just a few short weeks after starting my new job here at Xavier, I froze. Answering the phone, greeting those who come in for meetings, responding to random questions… wait, you want me to do what? I was nervous. And to be honest, I’m still nervous. But I love people. And I thought that this would be an excellent opportunity, right at the beginning of a new job, to really make this university my home away from home, a place “where everybody knows your name.” 
 
People come to the dean’s office for a variety of reasons. Students stop by for meetings, forms that need signatures, the use of the stapler, and lost and found inquiries. Professors usually stop by for meetings, to pick up simple supplies needed for the classroom, or to drop off items at the lost and found. (Hint, hint… if you hear that someone may have lost something in Alter Hall, send them to the dean’s office.) For each person that walks in the door, I always try to greet them with a smile and ask them how their day is going. Most respond positively, and I have been blessed with many very nice conversations. 
 
I have not worked at a university for very long, so maybe my connotations are off, but when I first heard the phrase “dean’s office,” I heard something akin to the principal’s office. It’s the place that you go when you are in trouble. Maybe some of you have the same image in your head? Or maybe your image is very different? One thing I have found in my short time here is that the people in the dean’s office are some of the kindest people I have ever met. And the role of the dean’s office is to support the faculty and staff of the college. We are here for you! So, I encourage you to stop by, even if it is just to say hello and introduce yourself.

Michelle Blevins
College Operations Coordinator