Those who eat at Foy Dining Hall have likely come across Ann Finlen, 49. She has been a loyal part of the Auburn Family since she was a child, but has since grown to be a loyal worker for the family here on the Plains as part of the maintenance staff.
Finlen is in charge of ensuring all dining necessities are met. She has replaced cutlery and napkins four days per week for the last 10 years.
That is, however, just a piece of what she does daily for Auburn students.
Finlen has a happy spirit her co-workers said they admire. She likes to greet students in Foy with a cheerful "Hello" and a smile.
Finlen said she loves working at Auburn.
"All the students that come in [Foy] brighten my every day, and most even know me by my first name," Finlen said. "Some of them are even my best friends."
Finlen was born prematurely in Birmingham, where she spent time in the hospital and was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
Finlen is one of seven siblings, twin brothers and five sisters.
Her mother raised her as a dedicated Tiger fan. Finlen has always had a passion for Auburn football.
"I see all the football players and they autograph my hat for me," Finlen said. "Cam Newton is my favorite player of all and I'm also a big fan of Bo Jackson."
Finlen said she plans to attend this year's Iron Bowl game.
The sports fan said she loves sports so much, she won gold medals in golf and basketball at the 2010 Special Olympics USA Games, while also participating in bowling.
Finlen said she credits her brothers Steve and Mike Finlen for her skill at golf. Steve and Mike help her train for the Special Olympics every year.
Outside of work and sports, Finlen is an avid member of Auburn University Best Buddies (BB), a nonprofit organization that provides friendship and employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.
Apart from her friends at BB, Finlen has a good friend waiting at her home in Birmingham: her dog, Sandy.
She is also friends with her co-workers.
"Miss Ann is so sweet and I enjoy working with her," said Tameika Jenkins, Finlen's co-worker. "She's always so happy. I can say that about Miss Ann, she is just always happy."
Finlen's supervisor Sharon Cargile, director of dining, had nothing but praise for Finlen.
"She is the biggest Auburn fan in the entire world," Cargile said. "The fact that she gets to work on this campus, to her, means she has the best job in the world. She's my most loyal, my most dependable and my most reliable employee."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
