For faculty and students, the Albion College post office on the first floor of the KC is a frequent stop between classes – a place to grab an Amazon package at the new Amazon lockers just outside the office, flip through mail or stand in line at the window. But behind that small counter, the post office supports the college in ways not always visible.
Campus Services Supervisor Laura Ward-McDowell, who oversees the campus post office as part of Campus Services, said their daily rhythm is shaped by the large mailings that arrive “already prepared” from departments.
“We just have to connect the dots to get it where it’s going,” Ward-McDowell said.
Ward-McDowell added that the post office also handles services some students may not even realize exist, including “all the student incoming mail – Amazon, UPS, FedEx.”
Mail clerk Mike DeWaters, who joined the office this past spring, said the biggest shift has been the rise of online shopping.
“Package volume has definitely picked up,” DeWaters said. “Mondays are usually the busiest because everything that came in over the weekend hits at once.”
DeWaters added that this growth prompted the installation of Amazon lockers across from the postal window to give students a way to retrieve packages outside normal hours.
“The post office didn’t really get any bigger back there, it’s actually getting smaller with the number of packages coming in,” DeWaters said. “The lockers help, and as more people use them, that’ll help us out even more.”
Mount Pleasant sophomore Nadia Burke said she appreciates the convenience of the Amazon lockers, but wishes staff were “more clear” about how to use them. Burke also said utilizing the campus post office has been challenging in the past, adding that it “would be nice” if there was a system in place to help students transport large packages they received.
Despite these concerns, Burke said the postal staff make a positive difference in her day-to-day life.
“They’re super, super nice,” Burke said. “They always have smiles on their faces, and I can always have a little conversation with them.”
Vice President of Enrollment Management Mandy Dubiel said the office plays a key role in some of the most important moments in a student’s Albion journey.
“We still rely on them very happily,” Dubiel said. “Our acceptance packet is probably the most important mailing we do, and the folks at the post office are great about making sure students get that in a timely fashion and without damage. Financial aid awards would be the second.”
Dubiel added that her office works closely with postal staff before any large mailing goes out, which requires a relationship built on trust.
“Having people here on campus who care about the work, the students and the mission makes all the difference,” Dubiel said. “I think they’re kind of unsung heroes on campus – their work doesn’t always get noticed, but it’s really important to what we do.”
English department and art department coordinator Mary Morrow said she sees the post office not just as a service, but as a partner, especially with the “two mass mailings that go out” from her departments every school year.
One such mailing is submission requests for the Charles Crupi Memorial Poetry Contest, which is sent to every high school in Michigan.
Those efforts, Morrow said, would be impossible without the guidance and support of the post office staff.
“They are always very helpful, giving us reminders and tips,” Morrow said. “When it’s thousands of letters going out to different places, there’s just a certain way to handle and organize that.”
Morrow added that the post office provides bins, trays and even tracking numbers for bulk shipments, ensuring everything from letters to copies of The Albion Review arrive where they should.
“I’ve had very few issues, if any,” Morrow said. “Things make it to their destinations, which I really appreciate.”
For the library, the post office is no less useful. Director of the Library and Head of Library Systems and Technology Jill Marie Mason said various journals, newspapers and interlibrary loan materials come through the campus post office.
“Without their services, we wouldn’t be able to offer this physical interlibrary loan service,” Mason said.
While digital articles can be delivered by email within minutes, physical books still require a postal system, which Mason said the postal staff have been helpful with.
“We’ve had to send things internationally before, and they helped to ensure that we are filling out the correct paperwork,” Mason said.
Morrow said it would be great if there were “a bigger post office, more staff, more resources.”
“They have to shut down in the middle of the day just to deal with the influx of deliveries. With all of us ordering so much online, it’s a lot,” Morrow said.
Ward-McDowell said it’s surprising but gratifying to hear the postal staff described as “unsung heroes” and that they work “really hard to make everything flow smoothly.”
As the campus adjusts to new systems and the steady growth of online ordering, the post office remains a resource. Students with questions about sending or receiving mail may contact the post office at [email protected].
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