Alex Kamps greets students and faculty with an infamous smile while working as a custodian in Annenberg and Tomlinson Theater from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday.
“Even when I am groggy and tired heading to my 8:40 class every morning, I am always greeted by a bright smile that starts my day on the right path,” junior JPRA major Alix Gerz said.
Dressed in a blue button-down shirt and dark blue pants, with a dark blue cap tilted slightly to the right, Kamps is a well-known figure in Annenberg. For the past eight years he has been in charge of the SCAT maintenance department; however, his run at Temple extends well beyond that. Kamps, a Germantown resident, first joined the Temple community 32 years ago.
“I started working here to pay the bills and give my kids an education. All three of my kids have come here; my oldest is now 38 and my youngest is 25, still studying in the engineering school,” Kamps explained.
Working at Temple has provided other benefits for Kamps, including access to shows and concerts, as well as a chance to get to know many different people.
“Once in a while I turn on the TV or hear something on the radio and I recognize a familiar face. It is great watching the students come in as freshmen, grow into seniors, and then continue on,” Kamps said.
For this reason, seeing students graduate at the Civic Center was perhaps one of Kamps’ fondest memories. Kamps worked there for a few years, in his earlier days at Temple, and remembers watching students he knew receive their diploma. Never having gone to college himself, Kamps watched his two oldest children finish their college careers and graduate.
Although he shares personal relationships with a few, he can confidently say that he has a good relationship with all the students that enter the Annenberg building.
“Whenever I stop by Annenberg, I can always see someone waving or saying hello to Alex,” sophomore Anthropology major Amy Krivda commented. “He is one of the most popular people on campus.”
Pooja Shah can be reached at pshah004@temple.edu
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