When I first walked into Bison to meet Shawnee Floyd, I casually asked Nicole at the counter where I could find him. The moment I mentioned his name, her expression changed. There was an instant warmth in her face, and without hesitation, she led me to the Deli section. There are some people you could sit with for hours and still not truly know, and then there are others who reveal themselves in an instant. Floyd was the latter.
Before I even saw him, Nicole quietly mentioned, “He just cut his finger, but he didn’t want to get stitches. He’s been working tirelessly since.” That one sentence said so much about him before I even had the chance to speak to him. And then I saw it, the brightest smile, full of humor, light and quiet strength. Even before we had a proper conversation, he told me he’d be out in a few minutes, just needed to finish something first. He wanted to give our talk his full attention.
In the short time I spent waiting, I already understood why he was chosen by the senior class as The Bucknellian’s Staff Member of the Year.
When we sat down, my first question to him was what his biggest takeaway from his work and life had been, and what motto best resonated with him. Without hesitation, he replied, “It takes much more energy to be an a**hole than to be a good person.” And with that, the tone of the conversation was set: one rooted in honesty, humility and reflection.
Floyd has worked at Bucknell for around two years now, and he was actually born in Lewisburg. As someone who has experienced the transition from Parkhurst Dining to Chartwells, he shared not just his own frustrations but, additionally, concerns for the students. He talked about how the focus had shifted from quality to quantity and how that affected the overall experience, and on the personal side, reporting how, since July, he has been paid at a rate a dollar less than his stated hourly wage. Still, Floyd shows up every day, not just with commitment but with heart, and the love he pours into his work isn’t something that could ever be measured in a paycheck.
He mentioned one thing he’s especially grateful for in the transition is that many of his co-workers have continued with him. When the work becomes routine and repetitive, he believes it’s that sense of camaraderie and shared purpose that keeps everything going.
I asked him what keeps him motivated, how he manages to bring such joy to others, day after day. Even in the 15 minutes we spoke, I saw the way other workers greeted him, the way he carried warmth and mischief in his interactions. He told me he had a difficult childhood and knows what it feels like to be left out, to be bullied. That’s exactly why he tries so hard to make sure no one feels isolated, alone or discouraged. His way of healing is by creating joy through humor, light teasing and simply showing up for people, especially students, who he says often just need a reason to smile during their day.
It became clear that Floyd doesn’t see the world through rose-colored glasses. He knows it’s not perfect, and it may never be. But that hasn’t stopped him from doing what he can to make it better for the people around him. He believes in stepping out of our own heads and trying to understand how others see the world. “We live life based on how we think,” he said, “but how often do we really try to see it through someone else’s eyes?”
There was something poetic in everything he said, not just in phrasing, but in depth. When asked if he had a message for Bucknellians, he shared that hearing students talk about real, pressing concerns—political, social, economic—makes him feel hopeful. It shows that we care, that we’re thinking collectively, that we’re not indifferent.
As for his philosophy on success, it was simple, powerful and deeply resonant. “The best revenge is great success.” And everything else he said only confirmed that he lives by those words. He doesn’t speak to impress. He works, he shows up and he lets his actions do the talking.
By the end of our conversation, I was left with a sense of awe. Floyd isn’t someone who just talks about kindness. He lives it. Not performatively, but genuinely. With humor. With humility. With grace.
There is no one more deserving of the Staff Member of the Year award than Floyd.
