Lead custodian coordinates housekeeping operations on campus, making sure students are provided with clean and comfortable living spaces.
JAIMIE FRANKLIN
Staff Writer
While students and faculty rush about campus each day, dozens of custodial and maintenance workers go out of their ways to make sure our living and working spaces are comfortable and clean. One of these people is Juana Ventura, a hardworking and caring mother of three and lead custodian at Pepperdine.
It is very easy for students to take the cleaning service provided for granted.
“I didn’t realize until I talked to someone from another college that they have to schedule someone to clean their bathroom,” said freshman Kelli Galippo. “We are so lucky.”
Ventura’s day begins at 5:15 a.m., when she wakes up and starts to get ready for work. At 6:30 a.m., she begins her hour-long commute to Pepperdine from her home in Inglewood. Although her shift starts at 8 a.m., she likes to arrive early before things get hectic.
As soon as she arrives, Ventura begins going through any messages that were left for the Housekeeping office in Towers 128 during the night. Many are from employees who call in sick and request time off, in which case Ventura is left responsible for distributing shifts to those who are there or taking over others’ shifts when necessary.
Ventura’s work keeps her constantly on her toes. On days when she’s not covering shifts for employees who are out, she is regulating the custodial operations on campus, responding to housing emergencies and making sure her staff has all of the necessary resources for getting the job done.
“Sometimes we get calls from Housing saying ‘we have an emergency,’” Ventura said. “We have to take care of it right away.”
Despite the variety of positions she fills, Ventura describes herself as being “flexible,” having “no complaints” and says that she has had nothing but “good experiences” while working at Pepperdine.
Frank Villasenor, manager of custodial and residential services, who has worked with Ventura for the past five years agrees and says that Ventura is “an essential part of my team.”
Ventura found a job at Pepperdine 17 years ago through a friend who informed her that people were needed for custodial work on campus. Since then, she has worked her way up from simply showing up when needed to working full time as lead custodian.
Ventura moved to the United States from El Salvador in 1982 with her family and lives with her husband and three sons, the youngest of whom is 15. She finds most of her free time on the weekends when she is able to spend quality time with her family.
During this time she likes to relax and usually stays home, although sometimes she and her family go out together. You can usually find her working in the kitchen cooking a nice meal for her husband and sons because as she puts it, “they love my food.”
According to Villasenor, Ventura has proved to be an asset to the custodial team. Her love for students and desire to help in any way possible makes her someone that we could simply not do without.
Ventura has been recognized various times over the years by her department with awards that attest to her hardworking and driven attitude including 10 and 15 Year Service Awards. Juana also received the Housekeeping Safety Award for her exemplary performance in following safety procedures in the use of chemicals and other cleaning products.
Ventura says the best part of her job is the opportunity it provides her to serve the student body.
“When we get calls from students to do work, I say call anytime; we’re pleased to help you,” Ventura said. “My goal is for students to be happy.”
09-21-2006
