Each morning when students enter the doors of McDonnell Douglas Hall, the spotless floors shine.
But the floors do not clean themselves. Their immaculate look is due to the work of Andre Curry, late-night housekeeper of the main hub of Parks College.
“Club Dre,” as his area of McDonnell Douglas is called by other employees, earned its nickname from the way Curry has become such an integral person to the upkeep of the building.
Those who find themselves in the hall during late hours have come to consider Curry a natural part of the school, since he’s been the housekeeper at the hall for most of his time here at Saint Louis University.
The 38-year-old St. Louis native has been a late-night housekeeper for five-and-a half years.
When he’s not making the hall floors shine, Curry enjoys being with his family. He has five children and said that “there’s always lots to do around the house.”
Curry said that he considers himself a family-oriented man, and that he hopes to pass on as many lessons as he can to his children.
“I’m trying to teach my kids not to follow the baggy- pants image and to be your own trendsetter and not to make the same mistakes I made,” he said.
Curry said that the best part about his work at SLU is interacting with students.
“They just come and talk to me. I understand that sometimes they don’t want to talk to their parents,” he said. “I admire that [I can be that] outlet.”
Curry recalled times when the Department of Public Safety would ask students to leave after hours when the building was closed.
“They came to me, and I talked to DPS, and DPS backed away,” he said.
Curry feels that “Club Dre” has the best ambiance of all of the places he’s worked on campus.
“The students are the nicest here. I’ve worked in other buildings before like McGannon, Monsanto [and] Cook Hall, but there the students just keep to their work,” he said.
In McDonnell Douglas, Curry has seen many students complete their education, and he has even run into graduates who remember his late-night presence.
“I know that I will move on and someday not work here anymore, but I hope another employee will have the same experience I have,” Curry said.
