"Positive Mind. Positive Vibes. Positive Life." Step into the Lander University office of Torry Fuller and be inspired.
Throughout the office are messages of hope and motivation, along with a few treasures of Fuller's golfing memorabilia and, on one particular day, two bags of potatoes left by a colleague. The superintendent of Custodial Services at Lander University, Fuller has a ready smile and encouragement for those with whom he works - especially prevalent in the COVID-19 era when the 22 full-time employees in his department are working diligently to ensure the health and safety of the campus.
"Before March, things were smooth. It was normal. After March, we went into a phase of 'what's the plan?'" Fuller said of the uncertainty created by the pandemic.
"Immediately, I reached out to our vendors for their knowledge and also talked to my peers at other universities. All of us were asking 'what do we do to protect our people and our campuses?' I had to think about the supplies that we would need," he said. "Not only did we need more products, but other universities did, too. We started ordering early, and we were ahead of the curve."
When the campus closed in March to students, faculty and staff, the pandemic cleanup began. Many students exited quickly and left a wide array of items behind. Once the residence halls were cleaned, the department faced the challenge of interacting with the essential personnel who remained on campus.
"There was concern, not panic, in how we worked with each other to remain safe. It was simply concern because of the unknown," said Fuller. "We didn't know how widespread the virus might be and the efforts we needed to take. As time went on, we knew more, and everyone could breathe a bit better."
With more than one million square feet of space in buildings, Fuller and his staff faced the challenge of keeping the facilities in tip-top condition through the spring and summer while preparing for the return of students for the 2020-21 academic year. Among the many precautions: Plexiglas sneeze barriers were installed in high-traffic areas, and more than 100 new hand sanitizing stations were added. Discussions were held with faculty to determine the disinfecting and cleaning products they needed for their individual classrooms.
"As much as possible, we have worked to tailor supplies to the needs of different departments and people. We increased our supplies of everything - sanitizers, disinfectants, rags, towels, cleaning products," Fuller said. "So much went on behind the scenes. Nobody was here to see what was happening, but our staff kept going. Their dedication has gone beyond what many realize."
That commitment was underscored when Harold Oliver, a building and grounds specialist, recently was named Employee of the Month at Lander. "Harold is an exemplary employee, and he represents the people in our department and all that they are doing,"said Fuller. "He will do whatever it takes to make the wheel turn. If it weren't for Harold, life would be a lot more difficult."
Jeff Beaver, director of Lander's Office of Engineering Services and Facility Operations, said Fuller has instilled the sense of "worth" to every member of his staff.
"His staff members all know of their importance to the University's success. The staff is here every day before 5 a.m., trying to get the 'potentially disruptive' cleaning process completed before classes begin," Beaver said. "His workforce ranges from student workers to staff members, some of whom could be home enjoying their retirement."
It is each of those staff who have continued to bring a heightened sense of health and safety to their jobs since students returned to campus in August.
"In recent years, Lander's footprint has expanded," said Fuller, who has worked at the University for about 14 years. "The needs of the facilities have grown. We're still growing. These days, there are a lot of footprints."
Fuller, who lives in McCormick, grew up in Edgefield, graduated from Strom Thurmond High School and attended as, he described, the "university of hard knocks." Whatever the difficult path may have been, was grounded. At age 14, he started working in the cleaning business. At age 17, Fuller started his own cleaning company, Primiere Services. While hard work is the cornerstone of his personal and professional life, Fuller is also focused on helping employees understand the value of their work and keeping them motivated during the stressful situations they may encounter - the greatest of which has been the pandemic.
"I am a hands-on supervisor," he said. "Every single staff meeting, I talk to my employees about the scenarios that might come up in their work and how we will handle them."
He follows three principles: 1) "Perception is everything", 2) Turn "Good to Great," a message of excellence inspired by James Collins in a book by the same name, and 3) "Don't take your shoes off" -- never get too comfortable in what you're doing. "You can't overlook the small things," he said.
Fuller's employees are close to him and stop by his open door regularly with questions and status updates. He never fails to laugh with them, or smile as he sorts out transportation for their next assignment, or discusses a work order - or even give a lunch order.
He welcomes the exchange. "It is my joy in life to help other people," he said. "All these young people working here … I want to help them move on with their lives, to train them to move on to bigger and better things. I'm here to help them and motivate them."
He paused to think. "If I do my job right, they'll be able to take over my job."
Fuller is spreading wisdom beyond Lander's campus through social media videos showcasing motivational messages while dancing and lip syncing songs. One video, labeled "How to Treat Negativity," finds Fuller dancing and "singing" to the upbeat Ray Charles' tune "Hit the Road Jack." Another features Fuller, coffee cup in hand, dancing to the Greg Street song "Good Day" and delivering the message "I just want to remind you, our attitude helps to determine if we have a good day."
Some of the videos find their way to his personal Facebook page, which highlights his wardrobe of colorful, whimsical socks. The patterns are as wide ranging as polka dots with the message "you can't have a million dollar dream with a minimum wage work ethic" to smiley faces asking people to "use your smile to change the world, don't let the world change your smile."
Fuller's enthusiasm is sincere and appreciated, Beaver said.
"His belief in his people to do the right thing is evident across the campus. When you see him coming, you will see his genuine smile, well before he ever speaks," he said. "Torry Fuller's departmental responsibilities are essentially a 24/7 commitment. It takes a special person to step up, manage it, and make it all look easy."
A message on his wall further explains Fuller's sharp focus on Lander's facilities: "We're here to make good things happen for other people."