Vote Jennifer Aitken for Custodian of the Year
April 8, 2025Yuma, Ariz. (April 8, 2025) – Arizona Western College Custodian Jennifer Aitken is in the running to receive the 2025 Cintas Custodian of the Year award, recently announced as a top 10 finalist in the national contest.
Aitken, who has served the AWC Yuma Campus for five years, is known for her welcoming smile and eagerness to assist students and staff, frequently offering faculty rides around campus.
“Jennifer truly is a role model,” said Nursing Professor Amber Ortega, one of many faculty members to nominate Aitken for the award. “She consistently has a warm smile and is always ready to lend a hand whenever someone needs help. She goes above and beyond her duties to support others in any way she can, whether it’s in a personal or professional capacity. She truly is deserving of this award. The fact that so many faculty members also nominated her is a testament to the positive impact she’s made.”
In addition to her job as a custodian, Aitken simultaneously balances coursework as an AWC student. Despite the busy schedule, her commitment to the campus community is evident in her work ethic and compassionate care for those around her.
“We call them Custodians and not Janitors because they do much more than just clean toilets,” commented Steve Eckert, AWC Executive Director of Facilities Management. “Custodians take pride and ownership not only in the cleanliness but the overall maintenance of their assigned areas, and they make a personal connection with the people in the area. It’s that pride of ownership and the human connection that sets our custodians apart from just someone who cleans the buildings and Jennifer exemplifies those values. We are lucky to have not only Jennifer, but all our custodians at AWC.”
Cintas will award $10,000 to the winning custodian, which will be determined by public voting.
Click here to vote for Aitken before voting closes on April 11.
More information on the 2025 Cintas Custodian of the Year contest can be found here.
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Contact:
Mandy Heil
Dean of Marketing and Communications
Arizona Western College
mandy.heil@azwestern.edu
(928) 314-9594