By: Maverick Lynes, Staff Writer
If you have been to the Brooks dining hall on the Gorham campus, then you have been in the presence of a genuinely caring and inspirational individual, Pauline Gould. Pauline’s contagious smile and infectious personality are one of the certainties you can count on when you’re in the Gorham campus cafeteria. When she is working, you can be sure she will be there for you, if you need a good laugh, a smile or advice and let’s not forget her excellent cooking.
Pauline, who was born and raised in Portland, emphasized her love for Maine and explained how she would not want to be anywhere else. Pauline classified her childhood as rough and credited her aunt and her grandmother for being the influential and inspirational people who helped her through her youth.
Pauline is a loving mother and grandmother and she speaks of her family with profound positivity and love. She calls her three daughters are the apple of her eye and her grandchildren are all the more beautiful. Her unconditional love for her family is an admirable trait every parent should wish to possess.
Pauline admits that sometimes she brings those same motherly instincts into work with her because of her experiences in the past and how much she cares about the students. Pauline has been with USM for two and a half years and she says that she has loved every minute of it. She explains how the students are a huge reason to why she loves her job so much. “I’ve never met so many wonderful people in my life,” Pauline said, referring to the students and her co-workers.
You can often find Pauline cooking on the grill and she is always happy to chat with anyone. “When I run that grill, I see the most kind-hearted people I have ever met,” Pauline said. She is overwhelmingly proud of her job and all the students and faculty she interacts with on a day to day basis.
Before working in the food industry, Pauline was working in retail and when she decided she needed a change from it. Pauline explained how the fast food chain, McDonald’s was a key contributor in her path to USM, and it was McDonald’s where she learned how to run the grill. Then she found her current job with USM and she emphasized how since making the switch she has loved every minute of it. Every day she comes into work and is proud of what she does and of the people she encounters.
Pauline mentioned three people who inspire her every day and those three are all coworkers, Tad, Kiara and Laurie. Pauline said that those three keep her grounded and are always looking out for her. She explained how those three are also a big part of why she loves her job here at USM.
She could not talk about inspiring people without mentioning her family as a whole. They have endured many hardships together and with the help of each other, they have gotten through those tough times. Pauline credits many of her family members with helping her through unexpected occurrences that life threw at her and without family she would not be where she is today.
Pauline is an inspiration because of her willingness to come into work and bring joy to every student who comes across her path. She realizes that some students struggle more than others, but what Pauline may not understand is the calming influence she brings to the students.
Pauline’s ability to overcome adversity and face her challenges head-on with passion and determination is one of her many remarkable traits. She has gone through tragedies that many people could not imagine, but she perseveres and continues to have a positive influence on the people around her.
Aside from being the person who supplies the students with good food, she also gives the students a good laugh and always gives them reasons to smile. Every day she comes into work with a contagious smile and she passes it along to everyone who comes in contact with her.
She never ceases to be the joyful presence we have all come to cherish and enjoy. On days that are harder than others, you can be sure Pauline will be there and will do what she can to lift your spirits. Pauline makes being unconditionally positive look easy. She explained how her secret is every day when she wakes up she chooses to be in a good mood. While it may be easier said than done for a lot of people, many of us can learn from Pauline and her positivity and inspire to be as strong and joyful as she is.