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Rita Anderson keeps houses and hearts

Meredith Braithwaite, For The Miami Student

Every weekday morning, Rita Anderson begins her day with a 20-minute drive to Miami University.

Anderson wears a beige uniform top with large white buttons, black pants and tennis shoes, but she brightens her outfit with a pair of hot pink earrings.

Her uniform is stitched with a Miami University nametag that reads, "Rita" in white, cursive letters.

Behind glasses and wild, shoulder-length, curly chestnut hair is 57-year-old Hamilton Hall housekeeper Rita Anderson.

On the outside, Anderson is a typical Miami University housekeeper, but others who know her see much more. With a sincere smile she says, "Hi honey," to every person, regardless of whether or not she knows him or her.

"She is something else. There's only one Rita," Anderson's co-worker, Kathy Henry said.

Anderson has worked at Miami University for 27 years. Starting her career in dining, she eventually moved to rooming. As Building and Grounds Assistants for Hamilton Hall, it's Anderson and Henry's responsibility to maintain the cleanliness of this all-girl's dormitory. A typical day for Anderson is, "Rush, rush, rush," she said.

But to Anderson, her job description entails much more than that.

"I don't feel like I'm just a housekeeper, I feel like I'm a mentor for the kids," Anderson said. "They look up to me."

For Anderson, it is not cleaning the stairways that is the hardest part of her job; it is getting attached to students too easily, knowing they will leave.

Anderson goes out of her way to help others. She saves large cardboard boxes all year, knowing the students will need them for move-out day. In each bathroom she puts a basket full of candy and writes inspirational quotes, signed, "Housekeeping."

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She writes personalized Christmas cards for each student in her residence hall. A timely task considering her last residence halls, Minnich Hall, had around 250 girls.

Henry said she has witnessed her kind acts.

"She's got a heart of gold," Henry said.

Anderson's helpful actions do not go unnoticed by the students either. They give to her just like she gives to them.

Last year, one corridor gave Anderson a gift certificate to Luna Blue, a local hair salon in Oxford. One student who contributed to the gift, Margaret Hansen, said the corridor wanted to show their appreciation for Anderson.

"Rita works so hard, and is so nice to everyone. We thought she needed to treat herself and relax for a bit," Hansen said.

Anderson got a haircut and her eyebrows done with the gift card.

"I didn't give my freshman dorm housekeeper a Christmas gift, but Rita is different," Hansen said.

According to Anderson, her favorite gift from past students was a $100 bill from a corridor she cleaned in Flower Hall. She bought a pre-lit Christmas tree with the gift.

"They said they wanted me to buy a gift to remember them by. And it is true. Every time I plug it in, I think of them," Anderson said.

Rather than buying a gift to show their appreciation, past students nominated Anderson for an award. In 2011, Anderson won the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Leadership Award for Outstanding Faculty/Staff Member.

"I couldn't believe they nominated me," she said.

Anderson's boss, Mike Jacquemin, was very proud of her, but not surprised.

Jacquemin, Senior Resident Hall Manager at Miami, has known Anderson for six years. He frequently sees Anderson conversing and greeting students in a motherly way.

"She's always making sure the kids have coats, hats, and umbrellas on a rainy day," he said.

A former student of Anderson's, Mike Leonakis, invited Anderson to attend a formal recognition dinner with his family.

"I'm used to catering people, but they were catering me. I liked that," Anderson said.

Leonakis's mom told Anderson she is one of the reasons her son turned out so well. "It's touching. I got so many great memories," Anderson said.

In 2001, Leonakis lived in a quad in Flower Hall, where Anderson previously worked. A year after he graduated, one of his roommates passed away.

While Leonakis tried to stay in touch with his former roommate's family, he lost touch with time. But Anderson did not. Anderson stayed in touch with the boy's mother, and always sent her Christmas cards.

According to Leonakis, whenever his roommate's mother received a card from Anderson, it made her month.

"She loves the students, she'd do anything for the students," Leonakis said.

While he does not speak with Anderson frequently, he always sends her a Christmas card.

"When I think back on my experience at Miami, I think fondly of her," he said.

Leonakis also invited Anderson to his wedding in November.

"Of all the people he knows he invited me," Anderson said. "They don't forget who takes good care of them.

Even Miami University's former star football player can't forget Anderson. She formerly cleaned Flower Hall, where Ben Roethlisberger lived. When one of her students went to Pittsburgh, she asked him to have Roethlisberger sign a jersey for her. Not only did he sign it, but he also remembered Anderson.

Carl Anderson, her husband, died two years ago from cancer. She took the summer off to care for him during his illness.

"I did everything I could for him," Anderson said.

Carl worked at Miami for 28 years as a Senior Maintenance Repair Technician. He put a lot of work into their three-bedroom ranch house in Camden, Ohio. Now on her own, Anderson mows her five-acre land by herself. She could ask her nephews or uncle for help, but worries something would happen to them.

"As long as I'm able to do it, I will do it,"Anderson said.

Anderson is still saddened by the loss of her husband, but one would never notice from her friendly and loving demeanor.

"I still cry sometimes," Anderson said. "It took me a long time to sleep in my bed because of Carl," she said. "But I'm okay now."

For retirement, Anderson said she hopes to travel the world.

"I have no desire to go to China or places like that, but I would love to go to Italy," she said.

Anderson has one stepson, but no biological children.

"I do love kids, and that's why I'm so close to the college kids," Anderson said.

She is okay with having no kids, because the students she takes care of are her children.

"I feel like the kids have impacted me, but I've impacted them," she said.