October 9, 2003

Staff profile: Jeffrey Aaberg

Title, length of service: Assistant director of housing and food service; nearly two years.

photo by Mary Hanlon

What do you do? I oversee the graduate housing buildings, Engelhart Hall and McManus Living-Learning Center. It is my responsibility to ensure the buildings are safe and comfortable. I oversee all renovations, make sure broken furniture is repaired, carpets get cleaned and walls are painted. I’m also responsible for major projects at the food service locations serving the residence halls. I supervise the installation of carpeting, new equipment and furniture. Recently, I worked on a project that removed some walls and changed the layout of the Foster-Walker dining room to make the space more user friendly.

Is the summer vacation time for you? Ironically, I’m the busiest when the students are gone between June and September. That’s when the bulk of the maintenance work gets done.

What do you do outside of work? I’m very involved in my church, Lighthouse Christian Fellowship in Beach Park. I’m a member of the Elder Council and lead a bible study. I’m working toward a master’s degree in Divinity at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield. I live in Waukegan with my wife and three daughters.

Multitasking on the train: I take the Metra to work. I spend my time on the train reading for school or for enjoyment.

What is it like to be first in the Northwestern telephone directory? All my life, I’ve been first in every directory. I probably get the most errant e-mails and telemarketing calls of anyone on the planet.

Can you top this? At my previous job, in order to win the Halloween contest for the third straight year, I worked all day clad in a full suit of armor. My friend, dressed as a squire, followed me around clapping two coconut halves together to make the sound of hoof beats.

— Marilyn Idelman Soglin