Friday, May 7, 2021
A bench and plaque will be installed outside Daly Dining Hall
by Adam Grybowski
A bench and plaque will be installed outside of Daly Dining Hall to memorialize Ann Keith, known to one and all at Rider University as “Miss Ann.” She was a beloved fixture of life at Rider for more than 35 years until her death last April.
The memorial was revealed during an event outside of Daly’s on May 6, with members of the Keith family in attendance. The bench and plaque are gifts of the Student Government Association’s Campus Facilities Committee.
“We knew that everyone on campus could appreciate this,” says Giavanna Troilo, a senior communications major who is the chair of the Campus Facilities Committee. “We had alumni reaching out to us and saying they wanted to be a part of the memorial.”
Employed through Rider’s dining services, Miss Ann was a daily presence in the lives of thousands of students, whom she greeted each day as they came to eat at the dining hall. News of her passing inspired an outpouring of love, respect and admiration.
The tributes “clearly spoke to the kind of person she was and the connection she was able to make with so many,” said Rider President Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D., during remarks delivered at the event. “I really believe it’s people like Miss Ann who make Rider such a special place. As a result of this dedication, it is very fitting that her presence is going to continue to be felt and recognized on the campus where she spent so much time and gave so much.”
I really believe it’s people like Miss Ann who make Rider such a special place.
During the event, Gourmet Dining, Rider’s on-campus dining service provider, announced that it has created a new award named in honor of Miss Ann, the Ann Keith Award for Outstanding Customer Service. The annual award will honor employees who exemplify and uphold the spirit and values of Miss Ann through their connection with and compassion for the people they are serving.
The inaugural recipients are Paulette White and Nathaniel Toles, who is also known as "Mr. Nate.” White has worked at Rider for 37 years, serving the campus community at Cranberry’s, the faculty and staff dining room, and the Pub. Toles began working at Rider in 1980 and is a friendly fixture in Daly’s. Both assist with the Meals on Wheels of Mercer County program at Rider.
"Miss Ann was able to connect with students, coworkers, staff, faculty and administration in a way that was just as unique and special as she was,” says Jena Cantwell, Gourmet's director of community relations and campus strategic planning. “The unwavering compassion, sense of humor, guidance, generosity, warmth and, above all else, love she extended to all the students that walked through the doors will forever be missed. All we can hope for is to create a small legacy in her honor to keep her memory alive for years to come."