“I care for this building like it’s my home because I’m treated like family”

If you want to stump Stacey Smith, don’t ask her to name everyone who works in the Psychology Building. She knows. She’ll even tell you how long they’ve been working there.

Same goes for asking about the number of classrooms, labs, offices, washrooms and entrances in the building.

But if you ask Stacey what she enjoys least about her job, settle in and enjoy the silence.

She’ll eventually tell you she doesn’t have an answer. “I love my job. I honestly do. It’s never felt like work. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

There’ve been a lot of minutes. Stacey’s worked as a custodian in the Psychology Building for 32 years. She started working at McMaster in the late 1980s. Her sister, who worked in security, said the university was desperate to hire custodians. Stacey, who’d been working full-time as a stay-at-home mom, went in for an interview and was hired on the spot.

Stacey once missed a stretch of work for shoulder surgery. But other than that, Stacey hasn’t missed a shift.

She worked through the pandemic. Stacey and fellow custodian Mirjana Celic – they’ve worked together for 21 years – were among the few allowed in the building. “It was a trying time,” says Stacey. “We did whatever we could for faculty and staff who were still at home.” Stacey and Mirjana continue a tradition they began during the pandemic. “Each week, we pick a big cleaning project that’s above and beyond our day-to-day tasks.”

Only one other person in the building has more seniority than Stacey. She’s just turned 60 and doesn’t want to talk about retirement. “Everyone I started working with has retired. And I clean the offices of some professors who I remember seeing around the halls as first-year students.”

Ask Stacey to spill the tea on which faculty and staff have the messiest offices and she’ll tell you no one does. “I’ve trained them well.”

The same holds true for students who do their part to keep the building clean. She says students today are far more conscientious and respectful than when she started out as a custodian. “If they accidentally spill a coffee, they’re so apologetic. I tell them not to worry. Students are the reason why we’re all here.”

The job gets harder when students aren’t around during the spring and summer, says Stacey. That’s when labs and offices are scheduled for deep cleaning.

Stacey arrives just after 5 am to plan her day and prep for the start of her shift at 6 am. Together with Mirjana, Stacey makes sure the building’s spotless and ready for the first classes of the day.

When Stacey’s shift ends at 2:30 pm, she’s clocked at least 17,000 steps. “This job requires a lot of energy.”

What’s kept Stacey working in the Psychology Building for 32 years? “Respect,” says Stacey. “Mirjana and I are invited to all the department functions and celebrations. The faculty and staff here treat us the same as their colleagues. Everyone knows us by name. There are lots of buildings where that’s not the case. I care for this building like it’s my home because I’m treated like family.”

Milica Pavlica says the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behavior has been lucky to have Stacey looking after their 50-year-old building for more than three decades. “Stacey’s such a dedicated, caring and hardworking person,” says Milicia, who’s the Academic Department Manager and has worked in the department for nearly 25 years. “Stacey’s definitely one of our unsung heroes.”