Memorial- Amy Erickson
Memorial Auditorium was used to serve buffet and banquet dinners. Amy Erickson was the Food Service Director from 1943-1973 and was head of dining events held in Memorial Auditorium and the gym. The College Food Service used these facilities because they were big enough to serve a large group. Amy described how Ford dealers would show their cars at the college. The kitchen staff would serve dinner for them, usually roast beef and potatoes. They also served the Democratic Convention, the Secretary of Agriculture, and many other dignitaries in Memorial. (33)
When Amy Erickson arrived at Concordia College in 1943, there were mice, rats, and cockroaches in the kitchen. She worked diligently and got that problem under control. Her hard work paid off because she was complimented by Mr. Smaby who said her cafeteria was the "best in the Northwest." (34)
Amy started serving 225 students in the cafeteria when she started in 1943. By 1973, she was serving up to 1,700 students. She served the first Christmas party in 1943 and 80 people attended. She came a long way in those thirty years. Amy was so busy, she worked up to 84 hours a week. Not only did she serve students, but she served the Army as well since they were on campus. To keep busy during the summer months, she and three of her staff would serve wedding receptions and bake cakes to send all over the country until the postal rates got too high. (35)
The students enjoyed Amy Erickson as the Food Service Director and thought they could pull a prank on her. The students took all the silverware from the kitchen and brought them to the third floor in the library where they set up place settings. Amy and the rest of the cooks had no idea where the silverware went so they told the students they had to use wooden spoons until the silverware returned. Magically, the silverware showed up. Amy and the cooks weren't mad at the students, they just thought it was funny. (36) The students knew their relationship with Amy was a strong one since she didn't get mad at them.
Amy Erickson only employed adults in the Food Service that could be mothers or fathers to the students. When she started working at Concordia, there were only two people working with her. Dr. Brown suggested she advertise to get more help but Amy refused. She said she didn't want just any old people, she wanted people working in the Food Service that could act as parents to the students. (37) She knew many students latched on to a woman working in the Food Service and these were the people the students could tell their problems to. Amy Erickson was very dedicated and commited to her work. She made a lasting impression on the students and faculty that she served.
The students of Concordia College were greatly impacted by women in Food Service. However, students also helped these women in return. In a 2003 article in the college newspaper, it reads that Concordia was in the 75th percentile of ELCA colleges who employ students. The students that work at Concordia equated to 37 full-time positions. Student managers were (and still are) very important because they oversee shifts, provide discipline, and evaluate student workers. Student workers learn many skills. Nicol Winkelman, who was the Dining Services Human Resources Coordinator in 2003, says that working in Dining Services is "full of team building, problem solving, and learning to meet deadlines." Jason Sjoberg, then a sophomore student manager, said that working in DS has taught him how to manage his time and communicate with others. (38) The women in Food Service make students feel valued and important and that is why these students love working for Dining Services. Not only does it make students feel important but it also teaches them responsibility and dependability. Women in the Food Service industry get looked over far too often when we should be praising them for their vast accomplishments.