Celebrating Black History Month: Catholic University Dining Area Named for Chartwells Higher Ed Associate

It’s not often that an employee has a sparkling new dining room named for them. Catholic University in Washington, D.C., did just that when it honored longtime employee and “Food Service Hero” Willie Joyner in December. During the dedication of Garvey Hall – the school’s new dining and studying space – a dining area was named after her. Ms. Willie has worked at the university for 49 years, initially as a cashier in the school’s cafeteria, then as a supervisor in multiple spots on campus. Her title now is customer service liaison. However, she is much more than that. For nearly five decades she has welcomed, listened, comforted and provided guidance to generations of students – and she is beloved for it. The Washington Post recently ran a feature on the perpetually smiling Ms. Willie, which elicited a personal letter from former president George W. Bush congratulating her on the honor. We honor you and celebrate you Ms. Willie. Thank you for being the difference and making history!