A. Ray Olpin University Union

Mary Burnett is a current senior at the University of Utah majoring in Athletic Training. Burnett has worked in the A. Ray Olpin University Union for the past five years and is one of our senior student staff members. She served previously as the Crimson Commons Accounting Clerk and is currently the Crimson Commons Recreation Manager overseeing the billiards and bowling alley on the first floor of the Union.

What does the Union mean to you?

The Union has been one of my home bases since I arrived at the U. I applied for the bowling alley the summer after I graduated high school and have been here since. It’s been awesome. Great people and better times. I had figured it would just be where I worked but I was very wrong. My coworkers and I clicked and before we knew it we were organizing times to go out and have “family dinner” every now and then. We still do, even with some former coworkers who have moved on from the Union.

What does community mean to you & how do you create it?

Community to me is the people who you are around, work and live with. They are the people you have the ability and proximity to that allows you to be able to directly affect their lives. Luckily for me, we have a lot of groups on campus who share the same values. One of my favorite parts of my job is working with students groups and community partners to provide them with a fun and safe event in the bowling alley!

What is a memorable experience you have within the Union?

Oh jeez. Well, there have been a few. I think one of my favorite experiences was one of the student staff training days when we went and played laser tag as one of our activities. Everyone was loud and rowdy and my team won, which is the most important part, right?

How has working in the Union shaped your college experience?

I don’t know if I could pinpoint a specific detail since I haven’t known college without the Union. But, I’ve made some great friends here, with people I would not have met through any of my other endeavors on campus.