Photo by Christina VanHorn,
UNH Human Resources

Both staff and students at the University of New Hampshire are becoming more and more aware of The Wildcatessen (located at Stillings Hall). Constantly growing in its offerings to keep up with the changing times of today's student, the "Wild" features goodies like the "Wild Cheese Steak Bomb"... and from sushi to cereal, they have what you're looking for. In addition, the "Wild" also offers a full line of convenience "grab-n-go"" packaged items, and health and beauty aids for your convenience. They have also expanded their late night hours. It's no coincidence that the "Wild's" growth has occurred during the time it's been supervised by Andrea Quaglieri.

Andrea began her UNH "working career" as a student associate at Huddleston Dining Hall in 1995. After graduating in 1998, she returned to UNH as an Assistant Catering Manager to work in the newly formed Catering department. After three years she left her position to have her daughter, Corinne (now age 5). Following maternity leave, she returned to UNH Dining as a night supervisor for Stillings Hall and The Wildcatessen. She kept that position for the next year-and-a-half before leaving again to have her twin boys, Garrett and Kenton (now ages 3 ½). In 2205, Andrea returned to UNH to work at Philbrook for a few months before returning to supervise The Wildcatessen at night which is where she currently works.

"To be honest, I never expected to have a career in UNH Dining," Andrea says. "I have a BS in Occupational Therapy, but for some reason I fell in love with the job. I had a great experience as a student associate and that carried me into my full time career. I guess UNH keeps calling me back and I am very fortunate that UNH Dining has been so understanding and supportive of me and my family."

As Supervisor at the Wildcatessen, Andrea says "the ability to multi-task is a must. Since guest service and hiring and training are a large part of my job, communication and good people skills are very important. I also need to be able to think on my feet and be organized. No two days are the same, so I need to be able to plan ahead for situations that are known in advance or I need to be able to react quickly and efficiently when something unexpected happens."

Some of the many responsibilities of Andrea's current position include overseeing the general operation of The Wildcatessen, which includes customer service, sandwich production, running the convenience store, and hiring/training student associates and maintaining their work schedules. She also keeps weekly sales records and is responsible for nightly cash deposits, all while being "very hands-on" in The Wildcatessen making subs, working the cash register or stocking the store.

"I love working with people," Andrea admits. "I'm lucky to have the opportunity to talk with each and every person that comes into the store. I also love the people I work with. Since we all spend so much time at work it is nice to always feel welcome and appreciated. I also like the pace of the job because I am not someone to stay still for very long. I am most happy when I'm running around helping our student associates or helping a guest find an item in the store. I really enjoy the sense of community and the opportunity to work with a diverse group of people. I have met so many interesting people in my years at UNH. I also like the flexibility in the work hours. I work second shift so I am able to spend time with my children during the day, but still have a challenging and rewarding work environment."

When asked who at UNH has had a positive impact on her, Andrea doesn't hesitate to say "I think that my supervisors and managers while I was a student associate had a positive impact on me. They allowed me to take on an important leadership role as a student supervisor. This role brought me out of my comfort zone and taught me how to interact with all types of people in many different situations. My current supervisors and managers encourage personal and professional growth and are constantly challenging me to think in new ways."

This growth has not been missed by Deb Scanlon (Andrea's Supervisor) who says "Andrea has had many roles within dining and with each one; she has embraced them with enthusiasm, pride and a great work ethic. She is amazing…juggling everything in her life. She is a full-time mother of three, all under the age of 6, and a full-time supervisor and excels at both roles. I think one of her greatest strengths is her organizational ability, from scheduling a staff of thirty or making 30 homemade valentine's cards…she can do it all. It is an honor and a privilege to have her as part of the UNH Dining family."

Andrea, her husband (Bob), and children are residents of Barrington, NH. Outside of UNH, Andrea has many interests that span from hiking to sewing, landscaping to refinishing furniture. "I am always looking for a new project to start and like to be just as busy at home as I am at work," she says. "However, my three children are my highest priority and I love that I am able to balance spending time with them with a rewarding career at UNH."