Renee Lee, Who Works for Dining and Event Services, Keeps Students Full with Food and Smiles
By Tdohasan Sunray
Beloved SUB worker Renee Lee has been working at the SUB for almost 19 years. Immigrating to the area in 1995, she worked at Sea-Bank and a nursing home prior to her job here. After that, she began her job at the University on Jan. 3, 2006. “I came originally from Korea, then to L.A., L.A. to Kentucky and then Kentucky to here. Kentucky is the worst place to live. The weather is bad, the humidity is too high. My pastor moved us out here to Tacoma. First I moved to University Place then out here to Tacoma,” Renee said. Renee’s journey has been one of daunting leaps and simple, attentive habits.
The Tacoma climate has been a much better fit for Renee. Before landing in Tacoma, Renee had already taken on an international voyage from her home country of South Korea to America, which was subsequently followed by a cross-country adventure within the States. When asked about her experiences in each place, Renee did not share more than what she felt was necessary. In getting to know Renee, one becomes aware that divulging is not necessarily one of her top priorities. Instead, she prioritizes her work and the love she spreads through it.
“My favorite part is when students who graduated return and come back to say ‘hi’ to me. One time a student named Susan who now lives in New York returned for the reunion day and said, ‘Anytime you are in New York you have a place with us.’ That’s my favorite part of the job, nothing else,” Renee said.
During the interview, Renee pulled out her phone to show me something. As I looked down at the iPhone, she smiled admiringly at the video of two kids breaking out some stylish dance moves. “I have two grandsons, they are 6 and 3 years old, and a 21-year-old granddaughter. I also have two daughters and one handsome son-in-law.”
When asked if there was one thing she wanted to share with students that they didn’t know about her, she proceeded to respond in the most Renee way possible — the “Renee way” meaning humble — “I just work eight hours, go home, that’s it. I don’t bother anybody, they don’t bother me. I love all my students. I do my best. I’m human. I make mistakes.”
“Of course, working is not all Renee does. Her work has comforting effects on everyone she meets, but she is more than her work. She is a provider who loves her family, students, the Seahawks, true crime documentaries and doing her best. She knows how to make people smile without even having to say a word. She piles a little extra on your plate and does not bat an eye.
She also had some life advice for students.“You know, don’t use drugs. You start once, you cannot stop. When your brain gets old it doesn’t work, so use it when you’re young. Think about the future very carefully because it is hard to get a job,” she said. In the same vein, she shared her guiding principle: “Always thank God when you wake up early in the morning.”
We thank you Renee for all your early mornings of service to the University of Puget Sound. Thank you for keeping us full of food, full of smiles and full of love.