Esco Weatherspoon, a landscaper for the TCU campus, has worked with the university for more than 20 years to help keep the campus safe and beautiful. Weatherspoon enjoyed his winter break, but was glad to be back at TCU. While trying to stay warm in the cold weather, Weatherspoon worked over part of the break and continued to work with the start of the spring semester.
When did you start working for TCU?
“Aug. 15, 1990.”
What is your favorite part about working for the landscaping and grounds department?
“Just being here at TCU and just being able to do things to make the campus safe for the students. And just being here and being happy, being around the students and the rest of the faculty and staff.”
Everyone says that the campus is beautiful, do you agree?
“Oh yeah, and tell them I said thank you!”
What are some of your normal duties with the landscaping and grounds department?
“Basically, in the summertime we do a lot of keeping the grass and stuff green as much as possible. And we help guys who put in the new flowers, keeping the campus colorful with different types of flowers and stuff like that, and just keeping a clear way for our students.”
Since it is cold outside, and the break came up, did you have any duties that changed because of the break?
“No, not really because we really didn’t get that cold, icy weather that we did last year when we had all these trees falling down all over the place, and stuff like that. So basically it was just a cleanup, like we are doing now, keeping the leaves and stuff off the sidewalk, keeping most of the curbs clean and trying to stay warm while we are doing it.”
Over the break, how was your job affected because students were gone?
“Well we were gone for a couple of days ourselves so that was enjoyable, but it didn’t affect [it] too much. It gave us a little space where we could do some things a little bit faster than normal, because now when the students are here we have to kind of stop sometimes and basically slow down. Again, we are right back to being safe around our students.”
Do you think you got just as much of a break as faculty and other employees, or do you think it was more or less?
“No it was about the same. But as for me, any break is a good break! But it is basically the same, and it was good. A lot of places don’t offer the same thing that TCU offers as far as breaks and things like that, so I appreciate whatever they give.”
Are there any things that you are looking forward to in the New Year, like any projects coming up?
“Well yeah, I am looking forward to basically the normal stuff that we do throughout the year, but mostly I’m looking forward to that new football stadium and the football team beating up on the Big East. That is what I am looking forward to mostly, and just being here with the students again.”