Behind the work that takes place in labs, offices and classrooms across Case Western Reserve University’s campus, there are more than 3,000 staff members helping to make it happen. Whether it’s connecting students with opportunities to help them succeed or making sure common spaces are clean and safe, staff members are integral to achieving the university’s mission. In honor of Employee Appreciation Day, celebrated at the university March 10, we’re showing our gratitude by highlighting just a few of the outstanding staff members at CWRU.
In 1980, carpenter Tim Logsdon found himself up against a job shortage. Originally from Cleveland and trained at a trade school in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he responded to a newspaper ad for a carpenter position at Case Western Reserve University. The rest is history.
In his 43 years at the university in the facilities division, Logsdon has repeatedly made his mark on the campus, most visibly in doors built for buildings like Adelbert Gym and Harkness Chapel. His projects have ranged from constructing walls, renovating dorm rooms, building furniture, making doors and hanging picture frames in office spaces.
Today, he serves as one of six carpenters on campus, working primarily around the Case Quad area. We sat down with Logsdon to learn more about the work he has done for Case Western Reserve over the years.
Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What is a typical day like?
It depends on the time of year, but I typically get one or two door calls. [I might] give an estimate for something. [I might] put up a bulletin board, something like that. [In] labs, there are repairs to do, a lot of times on the cabinetry. You don’t go through a week without a bathroom situation—a door or stall, a dispenser. You never know.
What is your favorite thing about working at Case Western Reserve?
The variety of work and the situations you run into. We meet different people.
Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on?
One of the nice things is you get to work on some larger projects. My favorite one was a retirement gift for [former CWRU President] Agnar Pytte. I had done some other work that was known about and the Board of Trustees secretary approached me to see about making a retirement gift for the president. They knew what they wanted, but couldn’t really buy one. It was a letter stand—[with] two drawers and an open top—but they wanted it to match the furniture in the house he was going to move to.
My wife and I were invited to the Board of Trustees retirement dinner for them—a black tie thing. We went to that and it was quite a nice event. At different stages through the dinner, they would unveil things and we were introduced individually.
You [also] do a job for someone and [just] put up a picture for them and it makes their day, that’s important too.