You have an hour-long break between classes, and the line at Umph is out the door and onto the sidewalk. Your stomach growls as the line chugs forward. Your annoyance and your impatience fades as you see Derrick at the head of the line, swiping IDs. “And here comes beauty,” he says when you come to the front. Suddenly your day isn’t so bad anymore.
This is Derrick, a cashier at Umphrey-Lee dining hall. He’s a regular ray of sunshine. He swipes in hundreds of students and tour groups every day at Umph, as it’s affectionately called, remembering kids’ majors, names, and greeting everyone, and reminding them to “stay stress free, keep working hard, you can do it!”
Derrick was born in Englewood, California and came to Dallas in 1980. He’s been working at SMU for ten years, following his cousin (who still works at SMU, at Arnold!). He’s been in Dallas for thirty years, and is the father of three boys. “Would I go back to California, no, cost of living is high, and I’m a Texan now,” Derrick said. “Home will always be home, but Dallas, yes.”
And, his favorite thing to eat at Umph? Grilled fish and salad. You can ask for it at the Mustang Grill. He says it’s delicious.
He’s always with the students. Derrick constantly counts down the days left until break, until the weekend, until summer. He watches out for us, reminding people to not drink too much coffee and to make sure to get some fruit. He doesn’t think caffeine is good for you- even though sometimes, he has a cup before work- he’s even personally called me out to maybe slow down on the multiple cups full of coffee. And, he says he’d rather call it “Umph” than Lee. “Due to the fact that students call it Umph, and that’s all I’ve been hearing- Umph, you know, I’m with the students.”
If you’re wondering how he stays so positive, his answer is simple.
“The Lord,” he says. “He blesses me to wake up every morning so I take it from there. Stress is not gonna do you no good, you know?”
As for any advice for students? He says “Finals coming up, stay positive, stress free; go home to your family, and see you next semester! Students on campus, love you all. Be safe and protect each other. Not on my campus.”