Texas Border Business
EDITOR’S NOTE: President Abraham Lincoln said, “Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” That certainly describes so many of the people who work at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. They work each day behind the scenes, away from spotlights and accolades, but still knowing they have a job to do that supports the university community and makes it run smoothly. In order for an institution as large as UTRGV to work efficiently, many people must contribute – but some of them go unnoticed. Our Unsung Heroes series highlights just a few of the people who often go overlooked, despite their importance and contributions.
By Amanda A. Taylor-Uchoa
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS –Alejandra Esteves, housekeeping and custodial supervisor for the UTRGV Campus Facilities Department in Brownsville, has worked within the university community for 13 years. She oversees custodial services for not only the Brownsville campus but also for UTRGV campuses and sites in Harlingen, South Padre Island and Port Isabel.
The UTRGV Campus Facilities Department played an integral role at the onset of COVID-19 and continues to be essential in keeping the campus community safe.
“We were part of the initial group responsible for implementing safety measures, such as installing and replenishing hand sanitizers, constantly disinfecting touchable surfaces, training other departments in the proper use of disinfecting solutions, etc.,” Esteves said. “My staff continues to work diligently day and night to make sure we are doing our part and maintaining a safe campus.”
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT UTRGV?
My role is to provide general supervision for building custodial services as a housekeeping/custodial supervisor for the Brownsville, Harlingen, South Padre Island and Port Isabel campuses. I assist with providing a clean and safe environment for the university.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED HERE?
Six years with UTRGV, but 13 years overall working on campus in the custodial field.
WITH THE SOCIAL CHANGES DUE TO COVID-19,
DESCRIBE YOUR AVERAGE DAY?
Our average day-to-day business has remained solid throughout the pandemic. With social changes, I rely on emails and Microsoft Teams to follow up with campus staff/community to make sure we are doing our part in providing a safe and clean environment because meeting in person can be challenging.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE UNDER COVID-19?
Keeping up with staff trainings. Since having crowd meetings was not an option, I created training videos that my staff could review at any time. The challenge is to make sure everyone understood the content since they have to review it individually. I made the training videos as inclusive as possible, including bilingual videos and videos with subtitles, and by providing good visuals so everyone can understand. We had a good turnout and it’s something we will keep doing in the future.
IN WHAT WAYS ARE YOU HELPING YOUR DEPARTMENT MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS?
Our department was and continues to be an essential department in mitigating the spread of the virus. We were part of the initial group responsible for implementing safety measures, like installing and replenishing hand sanitizers, constantly disinfecting touchable surfaces, training other departments in the proper use of disinfecting solutions, etc. We are still working day and night to make sure we help maintain a safe campus.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MEMORY, OR STORY, ABOUT YOUR TIME HERE?
I can’t say I have one favorite memory or story, all of them are very special to me. I love my UTRGV family! My coworkers are amazing people with great stories and anecdotes. We are successful thanks to their hard work and dedication.
TELL US SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?
Most people don’t know I am an entrepreneur. I enjoy challenges and I am always planning my next small business or project.
WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UTRGV COMMUNITY?
I like to think I have a good relationship with the UTRGV community. I enjoy meeting people and learning from the diversity in our community.
WHAT ARE SOME ENCOURAGING WORDS YOU COULD SHARE WITH YOUR PEERS ABOUT COVID-19?
Hope is a powerful state of mind. If we believe tomorrow is going to be a better day, we can overcome the hard times today.
