SMU staff of the month: Sheri Hemmelman

By Laura Flicek
Cardinal Staff

Service with a smile? Always! Sheri Hemmelman has been selected by the Cardinal staff as the Saint Mary’s University staff member of the month. Hemmelman has worked at and managed the Cotter Café (located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall, formerly known as “Main Street Café”) for five years.
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From St. Charles, Minn., Hemmelman has two daughters, Holly and Staci. Holly lives in Chicago and has a 6-year old daughter named Madison, and Staci lives in Winona and has a one-month old baby girl named Alyia. Hemmelman loves spending time with her family and telling stories about her grandchildren.

What exactly does Hemmelman enjoy most about working at the Cotter Café? Her favorite part about working and being a part of the Saint Mary’s community is truly the students. She loves having the opportunity to meet the new students and also to converse with the returning upperclassmen. She will greet all, often by name, with a smile. Working at the Cotter Café is also a great way to get to know the faculty who come in every morning for refill after refill of coffee.

Hemmelman’s favorite menu item at the café is any of the new Panini sandwiches, which are prepared fresh and grilled to order. A student favorite is the “Chicken Caesar Melt” Panini, which includes a variety of cheeses, grilled chicken, and Caesar dressing, piled high and toasted to perfection. Hemmelman is a wonderful person to get to know, but she does have one pet peeve: when people leave the chairs pulled out from the tables.

Cotter Café is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Breakfast items are available in the mornings and include the Early Riser hot breakfast sandwich and an assortment of muffins, doughnuts, cereal, fruit, and pastries. Later in the morning, the lunch menu is offered and includes soups, cold sandwiches, and Paninis. New students should especially take time to check out Cotter Café, as it is arguably the best food on campus and provides a great alternative to the cafeteria or Cardinal Club menu. So drop by to say “hi” to Sheri- but remember to push your chair in when you leave!