Crystal Elizabeth Grubbs is no stranger to hard work. As a member of Dillon Hall’s housekeeping staff, Crystal wakes up every morning earlier than many students and comes to campus to begin her difficult, and often unacknowledged, job.
From 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM on weekdays and from 6:00 to 11:00 AM on weekends – depending on whether the Irish football team plays at home or is away – Crystal works tirelessly to make Dillon Hall a spotless and pleasant living space for its campus-high 328 residents. Along with the other members of Dillon’s housekeeping staff, Yvonne and Deborah, Crystal is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the entire building. As the housekeeper for the third floor, she does everything from dusting and disinfecting the hallways, doorknobs, and windows to maintaining the restrooms.
Crystal was born and raised here in South Bend and has lived here her whole life. After graduating high school in 2002 and working at a veterinary clinic for three years, she worked three and a half years for a local distributing company. In September of 2009, Crystal was hired by Notre Dame as a temporary employee.
“I was a traveler, which meant I worked in whatever dorm they needed me to,” Crystal explained. “In August of 2010 I got hired into Notre Dame for an on-call position and remained a traveler. Finally I got hired as a full time employee about a month later.”
One month later, Crystal was hired as a full-time employee.
“And I am very grateful for that,” she said.
By the spring of 2011, Crystal had been appointed the housekeeper of the third floor of Dillon, where she has been a staple of the housekeeping staff ever since. Ever conversational and always pleasant and cheerful, Crystal’s enthusiasm for life is palpable.
When asked what piece of advice she would give to every Notre Dame student, Crystal replied, “Live your life to the fullest and have no regrets!”
When asked which aspects of her job she most enjoyed, Crystal said “I like working here at Notre Dame and in Dillon Hall because I get to meet different people from different countries.” She added, “I also like working here for the great healthcare benefits they provide the employees.”
When asked which aspect of housekeeping she least enjoyed, Crystal had a ready and understandable answer:
“I don’t like cleaning up the puke that the boys leave for me after they have had a fun filled weekend!” I can say from experience that she’s not the only one who doesn’t enjoy how our bathrooms look on the weekends.
As for her future plans? Crystal enjoys working at Notre Dame, and since she admits that “the thought of moving away from here actually kind of scares me because I really don’t like big changes,” she plans to remain settled in South Bend.
“I would like to be married and have a family soon,” she said. “I would like to continue working for Notre Dame and hopefully better myself by working my way up.” If her excellent service and cheerful demeanor are any indication, Crystal is well on her way to achieving that goal. As a man of Dillon Hall myself, and a grateful member of the Notre Dame student community, I say ‘thank you!’ to Crystal, Yvonne, Deborah, and all members of Notre Dame’s housekeeping staffs for the wonderful work that they do!
