Customer service, pride and community seems to be the credo of the custodial staff at Iowa State.

“I take pride in what I do and that my customers like the work that I do,” said Karen Carmody, a custodian for LeBaron and McKay Halls.

In her sixth year of custodial work, Carmody finds the most rewarding thing is a job well done for the customers.

“The best thing is the satisfaction that those we serve notice what we do,” Carmody said.

Linda Mataya, a custodian entering her seventh year at the Richardson Court Association, echoed this sentiment.

“The most rewarding thing is working around the students. You want to keep it clean for them. In fact, during the breaks, we really miss you guys,” Mataya said.

After 12 years of serving the student population, Donna Clink, custodial supervisor for second shift at the Memorial Union, is no exception.

“When my crew checks out, I want them to think that their area is the best that it can be for the next crew,” she said.

Clink also feels that pride is a very important quality in her unit.

“I really love working at the MU. When I hire, I tell the people to be proud to be a custodian,” she said.

Carmody said that, at times, it’s the pride of customer satisfaction that keeps her going on a rough day.

“Sometimes you wonder ‘Why do I do this?’ It’s the same routine every day, but our customers really like us and our work — they don’t want us to leave,” Carmody said.

Community is the rule among the different custodial crews. As to whose crew is the best, however, there is some disagreement.

“We all get along really well. If one of us is gone, we’ll all pitch in and do their area,” Mataya said.

Carmody was no less positive about her group.

“The LeBaron-McKay crew was a tight knit team even before we were assigned to our new teams,” she said.

Clink said she felt the same way about her crew. “I have the best crew in the university. We’ll work as a whole big team to get one large project done, and if someone is gone, we’ll divide their work.”

This sense of community goes beyond just the working hours. Carmody’s team sets up potlucks and lunches, Mataya’s group participates in an annual Christmas gift exchange, and Clink’s crew attends afternoon coffees and spring parties together.

As with any job, however, the custodial position has its down side.

“The most disappointing thing is being told to do something that I can’t do. I’d also like to see people paid what they’re worth, according to the quality of their work,” Carmody said.

The construction in the Memorial Union has increased the workload for Clink’s crew. Besides the constant dirt and displacement, “our office is gone and the equipment is in various places. We still haven’t found all of it,” she said.

For Mataya, coupons have added some extra frustration to her job.

“The worst thing is the entryway with all of those pizza coupon inserts everywhere,” she said.

In general, summer brings about a change in the daily routine for the custodial staff of ISU.

“It’s a lot more work because it’s like a motel service. Between conferences, we have to deep clean all of the rooms in the residence halls,” Mataya said.

Timing for big projects is the key summer issue for Carmody’s team.

“It is really hectic because of summer school. We do a lot of flextime like 1:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., because it’s the only time that we can do things like strip the floors and clean the carpets,” Carmody said.

Outside of the large Odyssey of the Mind conference, Clink’s group doesn’t anticipate a huge change.

“We’re busy pretty much all of the time,” she said.

Mataya said that, all in all, the sense of community makes the custodian’s job a worthwhile one.

“It’s a good atmosphere — it makes a big difference,” she said.