Staff Stories: Maggie Jones

Climbing the ivy: an admin's return to her roots

by Grace DePaull

On the verge of tears, Maggie Jones walked into her shift at Rose House Dining Room one day during her first semester at Cornell, contemplating leaving the university for good. Struggling with feelings of homesickness and difficulties in organic chemistry, Jones may have parted from Cornell that semester had it not been for the relationships she built that carried her through the year, allowing her to have a hand in changing the landscape of Cornell Dining as a student and future employee.

“I remember one of the chefs saw that I was upset that day, and the whole team stopped to say, ‘We’ve got you,’” Jones recalled. “Having someone look you in the face and say ‘You’re capable, you can do this’ was so invaluable to my feeling of belonging. You don’t realize you’re missing a support system until you receive it again. If it weren’t for the staff members and students at Rose House, I wouldn’t have made it through the entire year. They were the people I needed. They found me.”

Not only did Jones graduate from Cornell in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in food science and technology, but she returned four years later – this time as a full-time employee.

“I always knew I’d come back,” Jones said. “As quiet as the voice was, it was always there. I was just waiting for the perfect moment.”

Jones’s perfect moment eventually arrived when she was hired as an administrative coordinator for Cornell Dining. From scheduling meetings to supporting leadership to organizing conferences and visitor trips, Jones’s role is a large series of small tasks that supports dining’s mission of “nourishing the future.” At the university, administrative roles often wear many hats, and according to Jones, she has taken on the role of “encyclopedia” for Cornell Dining, helping others navigate the ins and outs of the organization.

“I’m almost always the person to come to for any questions folks may have,” Jones said. “It’s one of the best parts of my job, getting to connect with people from every corner of our organization. Every time I talk to someone new or help answer a question, it makes my day a little better.”

Jones initially had her heart set on Cornell as a high school student. However, earning her spot at the university didn’t come easy. Jones won a free application through a food science competition but was initially denied admission. She eventually transferred to the university her sophomore year but struggled to find her footing. For Jones, the staff at Cornell Dining not only kept her at the university but helped pave a path for her future as well.

“It took me a long time to get here, but I eventually did,” Jones said. “I think it was more gratifying because I knew I earned it. Cornell was a dream; it was my reach school. I didn’t have high hopes I was going to get it, but secretly, it was the only place I wanted to go.”

Once she arrived, Jones took a position as a student employee at Cornell Dining to help supplement her income throughout the semester. In addition to her earnings, Jones expanded her knowledge of food service, working in up to sixteen units around campus – from producing cheese and ice cream at the Dairy Plant to taking on managerial roles at various dining rooms. This experience helped her find a home in and amongst the staff, solidifying her hopes to return to the university as a full-time employee. 

“It’s been very rewarding to have that shared experience with college students today because I’m able to help them navigate some of the stressful areas of the university. I’ve found that it’s become part of my purpose – being that calm voice that I had when I was in college and letting others know that there’s someone who has their back,” Jones said.

One of Jones’s notable accomplishments as a student was transitioning Rusty’s, a coffee shop in Uris Hall, into an entirely student-run establishment. Jones built a roster of student employees, managed the interview and training process and oversaw the day-to-day functions of the coffee shop. She also helped restructure the student organization for Cornell Dining, enhancing and expanding the opportunities available for student workers. Jones and her peers identified and created new roles, such as a culinary position that would give students more experience in the kitchen, a training supervisor position responsible for compliance and food safety and a brand ambassador position that would work closely with the Student & Campus Life marketing team.

“It's amazing to see how the organization has grown and changed since it was originally conceived,” Jones said. “There were so many opportunities that we found where we could enhance our student program to create a more meaningful experience. Our mission was to give students a voice and the opportunity to grow their skill sets and identify areas they’d like to see improvement. We wanted them to obtain that advocacy for themselves.”

Returning to Cornell has given Jones the opportunity to contribute toward creating a support system and positive environment where students and staff know they belong.

“We are all coming to work with good intentions, and we're trying our best,” Jones said. “And that's something that not only resonated with me as a student but resonates with me even more as a full-time employee. It’s more than just feeding the students here at Cornell Dining. My goal as an administrative coordinator aligns with continuing to be a support system for these students. The relationships that I’ve gained have made me feel so well connected, and being able to help people as much as I can is something that I’m infinitely proud of.”