As students wake up for their 8 a.m. classes or barely open their eyes for the day, the Drake University staff is already up and running, getting the campus ready for the day. Whether it is the facilities staff cleaning the residence halls or Hubbell Dining Hall staff prepping for the breakfast rush, they work quietly, yet constantly, within student life.
Though their presence may be overlooked at times, the staff all maintain a vital role in keeping Drake up to standards for students, parents and the community.
In the dark early hours of the morning, the facilities staff begin their duties in all five Drake residence halls — cleaning bathrooms, stairways and lobbies. Maria Garcia, who tends to Herriott Residence Hall, cleans every weekday.
“The schedule starts at 4:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. I first start to clean the windows and then finish up in the bathrooms and anything else,” Garcia said.
Garcia emphasizes the importance of students respecting the cleanliness efforts in the residence halls, specifically the bathrooms, so that they can be comfortable to use.
“I understand that everybody uses the bathrooms; sometimes it’s nasty, but for us, it’s OK to clean the bathrooms and showers. I just clean for everybody and [I want] students to understand [that it’s] not for us, [but] for everybody,” Garcia said.
In the evenings, Kelly Brown, a cook at Hubbell Dining Hall for the Savory station, prepares and provides meals for students during the dinner rush. Brown is a familiar face for students, often known for her high-demand macaroni and cheese.
Starting her shift at 2 p.m., Brown makes her finishing touches to the menu before 5 p.m., when serving begins. Brown said she feels gratitude when her cooking is embraced positively by students.
“I am a mom and I like to feed people,” Brown said. “When the students come here and are happy the food is good, that makes me feel good.”
Brown began her work life at Hubbell in September 2025. Having attended culinary school and worked in other culinary positions before Drake, Brown is no stranger to the strict timelines of food production.
“When they say do it your way and I can make it my own,” Brown said, “I feel like I’m at home in my own kitchen making something for my kids.”
