Behind the Scenes with Physical Plant
Seventeen years ago, Garrett Glorioso ’06 graduated from Endicott with a B.S. in criminal justice but, surprisingly, his job search led him right back to the Nest and to Physical Plant. Glorioso had worked with the department during the school year and in the summer, but what was planned to be another short-term endeavor turned into something more.
Glorioso is now the Lead Grounds/Equipment Operator—a role where he is responsible for taking care of all 238 acres of campus, ensuring it is well maintained for the Endicott community and visitors alike.
“I’m still doing my best to help clean the place up, make it look as nice as we can make it look,” said Glorioso.
Many Endicott departments feel a slight lull during the summertime when students are away, but Physical Plant is busy year-round. Weddings at Misselwood? The lawns will be perfectly photo-ready, thanks to Physical Plant. Construction on campus? Physical Plant completes many in-house projects and works with contractors for larger jobs.
“When you go to a certain area, and it looks overgrown or a little bit beat up and you’re able to flip it and clean it up, you get that instant gratification, which is a big part of the job,” Glorioso said.
As soon as the students depart in May, Physical Plant goes into summer mode, flipping each dorm to prepare them for summer conferencing and when Gulls return in the fall. This summer, however, was especially busy, with several high-profile construction projects coming to fruition on campus. (Watch video to learn more.)
According to Painting Supervisor Thomas Maniates—known as “Tommy Picasso” across campus—summer is crucial for the paint department. Maniates, who has been at Endicott for 30 years, oversees six to eight student workers who help him paint each residence hall each summer.
“We just went through 17 residence halls in two months, and we try and paint every single room,” said Maniates. “We usually have maybe a week to get out of a residence that’s as big as something like Bayview or Marblehead. It’s just crazy.”
To stave off boredom in his student workers, Maniates makes the summer months fun with things such as surprise ice cream runs. Each student is also invited to paint a fire hydrant on campus in what’s become a campus tradition.
“Students can get burnt out. There’s no question, I’ve seen it,” said Maniates. “If you make it fun for them, everything runs a lot smoother. That’s how it’s been going on since.”
After the students leave in May, housekeepers like Diane Rogers and Estelle Jenkins, and the rest of the housekeeping department get to work cleaning all buildings on campus. The summer heat keeps things interesting as it gets hot in some buildings, and each room could take a good amount of time to clean depending on size.
“It’s busy because of the groups that come to campus—it’s a happening place all summer,” said Jenkins. “It’s like cleaning your house.”
Physical Plant’s team—comprised of more than 65 employees—is truly the behind-the-scenes operations of Endicott, Jenkins noted, as many students do not realize the extent of their duties.
But Jenkins, who has worked with the College for about 12 years, has fostered connections with many students and made friends with whom she still speaks.
“I like having the students around—makes your day go by. You talk to one, and they tell you all kinds of stuff,” she said. “So, you become friends with them. You know, sometimes you guide them.”
Rogers, who has been at Endicott for about 10 years, said a special part of her job is when Physical Plant staff line up to wave to the graduates during Commencement.
“It’s almost a tearjerker. When you see the students grow from freshmen to seniors, it’s just amazing,” said Rogers. “How four years can fly by.”
In 1968, Custodian John Cordeiro came from Portugal to the U.S. without knowing a word of English. Nonetheless, he went to school and graduated, and was hired at the Nest nine years ago.
Cordeiro said he enjoys the busy summer season but prefers the academic year when he can make connections with students, especially international students.
The Nest has become a special place for many, a tightknit campus where students, faculty, and staff come together to achieve their goals and endeavors, supporting each other in the process.
“You get to meet a lot of different people from all over the world,” said Cordeiro. “When they’re feeling down, you have to bring them up. You have to make them happy. They miss home.”