“I was born and raised in Salt Lake City. Thirty-one years ago, I began working as a custodian at the U. I’ve worked at the Biomedical Polymers Research building, the Department of Mathematics building, the James Fletcher Physics building, the Honors College, the College of Fine Arts, the College of Architecture + Planning, the upper heating plant and the Waste Management office before going to the College of Social Work, CSW. I worked at the CSW for 16 years.
Over time, I’ve been able to build relationships with a lot of great people on campus. The folks who stand out to me are Richie Landward, an assistant professor (lecturer) at the CSW, and Richard Normann, a distinguished professor [emeritus] in the Biomedical Polymers Research department. Richie told me, “May the force be with you,” because he knows that I try to be a force to be reckoned with in my work and do the best I can in everything I do. I remember Richard Normann being a really nice guy in Biomedical Polymers.
In 2001, I identified a potential bomb in a restroom in the Fletcher building. We had just gone through a monthly training course for identifying suspicious items, so when I saw it, I pointed it out and we called the police. Though it ended up being a hoax, they said it was a good exercise for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games. The responsibility of safety comes naturally to me; I don’t have to think about it.
Every semester, I interacted with the students in the social work building. I built a rapport with the students, faculty and staff, and the four previous deans at the CSW, which has motivated me in my daily work over the years. Being outgoing is my nature. I like joking with people and getting to know them and am very outspoken. So, associating with everybody has been exceptional for me. I’ve worked in many different departments, but I’ve never changed. I have always approached my work in this way.
At the end of the year, I was informed that I would be reassigned to the J. Willard Marriott Library in 2025. When the news of me leaving the CSW got out, students started a petition for me to stay in that building. Though the decision was out of our hands, I am thankful for and humbled by those students. I’ve always had people looking out for me at the CSW. For instance, when I first started there, I was similarly reassigned elsewhere, but the CSW’s director of operations and logistics, Matt Harting, advocated for me to stay. I know change is a part of life, and I am just grateful to be staying close by the CSW building. Outside of my Boxer-Pitbull mix, Lenox, the CSW is my family.
My interactions with students at the Marriott Library is limited, since I work in the quiet spaces, but I’ve been thanked by four students so far. It’s a privilege.”
— Mike Wilkinson, long-term University of Utah custodian