Receptionist Cheryl Fowler works for the future
Amber Davis
-Asst. Art & Life Editor-
When students walk into the assessment center to take a test, they are greeted by Cheryl Fowler, the receptionist at STLCC-Meramec. Standing back against a file cabinet facing the door, Fowler is constantly moving.
Fowler said her organization skills are important when multitasking between helping the students and filing through the tests.
“I’m a logical order type of person,” Fowler said. “Everything has to flow.”
Fowler has “Jamming Oldies,” a Chicago station, playing on her computer.
“[The music] kind of helps my day, or evenings go by a little faster,” Fowler said. “And I play it all the time; it just kind of helps the time go by. I try not to keep it loud but I have it where I can enjoy it.”
Fowler began working for the assessment center as a receptionist in May 2007. But this is not her only job on campus; she has four part-time jobs at Meramec. Besides two different positions in the Assessment Center, Fowler works for the Access Office as a note taker for students who are not able to take notes during lectures. She has also worked for the Financial Aid Office since August 2010.
Some may describe Fowler as a hard worker by some. Working the four jobs at Meramec is not all she does to pay the bills and put herself through law school.
Fowler has been packaging law school exams for the past 10 years at St. Louis University, tutoring at Sullivan Learning Center and serving up bread and bagels at St. Louis Bread Co. during school breaks.
“My mother always said ‘you don’t work, you don’t eat. I don’t care how many jobs you get just get those jobs and get it done’,” Fowler said. “I set myself up so that way I work smarter, not harder. I make my job easy as possible.”
Fowler said she still considers herself a student as much as a hard worker. She is 20 credits away from a master’s in legal studies at St. Louis University, where she earned a bachelor’s in political science in 2004.
Folwer said she sees it as an accomplishment.
“I’m a first generation student from my family to actually graduate from college. That’s a wonderful accomplishment. That makes me very proud,” Fowler said.
She said her passion in life is the government, law and politics.
“Hopefully in the next five to 10 years, I will have my law degree, not necessarily have my own practice but within a stable firm,” Fowler said. “I would just focus on the now and my countless thousands of dollars to get my degree in and I would put all my knowledge into that practice.”
Fowler said she knows how it feels to be on the opposite side of the desk, so being friendly and helpful is important for that student.
“I know a lot of students rush in here and they probably forgot pencils or ink pens or had a bad day. Just for them to see a friendly face, I put a smile on and joke and laugh with them and say ‘look it’s going to be okay,’” Fowler said. “I’m willing to go the extra mile for students at all cost. It’s the ‘yes I can, yes I will’ type of attitude.”
Ray Eberle-Mayse has worked with Fowler in the assessment center for five years. He said Fowler is personable with students.
“[Cheryl] is an excellent employee working in the office in the evening – highly responsible, resourceful and I rely on her to provide support for the office,” Eberle-Mayse said.
Fowler said out of all the jobs she works on campus she enjoys the financial aid office more because it prompts her to think.
“[Financial aid] challenges my brain,” Fowler said as she leaned forward and pointed at her forehead. “You are talking about someone’s academic future.”
With work and school aside, Fowler said her religion guides her through the heavy workloads.
“My faith is my background; it is my everything,” Fowler said as she closed her eyes and gripped onto her gold cross necklace.
“This job has served me very well and I believe I’ve served this job very well,” Fowler said.
