Student Voices: Grace Aylor

Hi-hi! My name is Grace and I've been working at the Swem Circulation desk for a little over a year now. If you come to Swem often enough you might know me as 'the girl with the bangs.' Even though it's only been a year, I am here so often now, working school breaks and a surplus of daytime hours, some of the full-time Swem staff are convinced that I've been here forever!

As a Graduate Student in the Counselor Education Program (Class of 2018) before working at Swem, I didn't get to spend much time on main campus which made it easy to feel as though I wasn't really part of the William & Mary community. Because of this, working for Circulation has turned out to be one of the best jobs that I've had. Being an extrovert and working in customer service already go hand-in-hand, but I find that my time spent here has become my happy place. I'm treated not as a student employee, but as a peer among my superiors, who make me feel valued as a vital part of the (sometimes) well-oiled machine that makes Swem 'go.' I've made countless friends simply by being a kind face when they need a Mac charger (even when we're out) or the Bio220 textbook for the 4th time that day.

As graduation approaches, what I know I will miss most from my short time at William & Mary will be the time I've spent with Circulation. From fixing staplers to scanners, finding books out of place, and laughing with friends until I have to lock the doors at 2am; I wouldn't trade the time spent there for anything. After graduation when I move abroad for work, I promise I'll send greetings from a library on the other side of the globe, but until then…

Peace out everybody!

Love, Grace