My name is Saul Martinez and I work in McGregor Hall on the second floor in the Office of the Registrars. We assure that all documents are accounted for and stored in an orderly fashion in our cabinets. When I’m not dropping off transcript requests in the mailroom or maintaining the organization of our filing cabinets, I am usually working on digitizing our old student narrative evaluations, my work starting from where the previous assistant left off. Because a digital database for student information is being built, transferring paper files into the digital world by scanning and copying them onto an electronic document takes priority and occupies the majority of my time in the office. Though, with thirty or more hours of work a week, I’ve been making good headway on the extensive backlog.
And it’s a good thing too, as the digitization project assures the longevity of past records and the history of students at Antioch College, as well as the college itself. As I am bound by certain legalities, I can not go into detail about the evaluations themselves but, as you can imagine, keeping a tidy record of student performance and attendance is of critical importance. This unseen work allows students access to their information, transcripts, and records in our office, kept neatly organized for them should they have any need for their documentation.
It certainly can be dull and rhythmic work but it is not only essential for the continuing function of the college’s student registration program—it is also a personal learning experience for me. As a projected anthropology major, I expect the majority of my future work will include record keeping and documentation. And, while I’ve had other jobs that focused on just that, they’ve never been as involved as this one, nor have I had an entire project I was in charge of handling. The work is quiet, tireless, and virtually neverending— there is always something to do or story away—but, at the end of the day, there is simple pride in it, knowing that you’re preserving history and stories so that they may live on in posterity and usefulness.
