Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

Photos By Jeni Meyers and Eric Zitz

A day with Officer Manny White

By Jeni Meyers

jlmeyers@vwc.edu

It is a chilly day outside as Officer Manny White grabs his gloves and leaves the cozy, warm security office to begin his rounds. He closes the office door and walks outside, pulling gloves over his hands to keep them warm. Waving hello and smiling at a passing student, White admits that the students are one of his favorite things about his job.

“I like to spend a lot of time with the students getting to know them,” said White. “I don’t want them to think that security guards are just ‘big, mean officers’ who want to get them in trouble.”

White has worked with the security office of Wesleyan for nine years. He is now the captain of operations and assistant director of the security staff. He began in the Navy and spent 18 months in

Vietnam and some time in the Mediterranean, as well as working as a navy recruiter. He was stationed in Virginia Beach for 21 years. After retiring from the navy he worked with the Norfolk Sheriff’s Department. After remaining at the sheriff’s department for seven years, White decided it was time to move on.

“I left the Sheriff Department because I felt like I wasn’t making a difference,” said White.

He walks up to Godwin and heads inside to survey the building and make sure everything is running smoothly. His radio crackles as he hears someone talking and unclips it to respond. After his rounds in Godwin White heads back outside into the cold and onto the path towards Batten Center.

White admits that he has enjoyed working at Wesleyan, and feels that he is making a difference here.

“I feel like I’ve had something to do with it when I see a kid walk across that stage after four years,” White said. “I feel like I had a part in that.”

Reaching the Batten doors, he pushes the handicap button and walks in, passing junior Scott Montgomery, who was working at the hub, and saying hello. He continues walking past the dance room and

CMAC towards the Grill. White surveys the room with a serious face, but he has a smile in his eyes. The Grille is an area where White can often be found talking to students or even playing a couple games of pool with them. He waves to some of the workers behind the counter and high-fives senior Kirk Jeter, or the “Preacher Man” as White likes to call him. His round then takes him into the Business Office, where he is warmly welcomed by all the staff and stops for friendly chat with Ronda Rothwell.

“I try to check anywhere that has a lot of money frequently to make sure everything is OK,” said White. “Especially the Business Office, because they have such a large flow of money that goes through.”

He leaves the Business Office and heads towards the library, another place he likes to check frequently due to the large influx of visitors from other universities. White tries to keep the campus as safe as possible, and the thoughts of other campus shootings are never far from his mind.

“It’s on my mind quite frequently,” White admits. “We’ve stepped up patrols around the perimeter to make sure no one can sneak on. We also have this new technology and use the drills to make everyone on campus more aware – I hope everyone takes it as seriously as I’m taking it.”

While White is friendly and easy-going, these drills and precautions are not something he takes lightly. The Third Precinct of the Virginia Beach Police Department works closely with Wesleyan security and is always helping out, which makes the security staff feel better.

After completing his rounds in the library and stopping to chat with some students inside, he leaves again and goes through Blocker, coming out through the door that now looks onto Village IV. He stops and surveys the area for a moment, watching as students walk through the path connecting the new townhouses.

“A lot of times I walk around not to just watch over the students, but also to check up on my guys and make sure they’re doing what they’re supposed to,” said White.

He ends his rounds and makes his way back to his office. White’s office is decorated with pictures of his family, as well as a Redskin banner that hangs on the side of the wall. White’s family is very important to him, and he admits that he is “very lucky to have such an understanding wife.”

When asked why he feels that it is important to build a relationship with his students, he responds, “I look at what the college did for my daughter, and I know how I wanted her to be treated while she was here – so that is how I try to treat students.”

He removes his gloves and smiles as he drops into his desk chair.

“To me, all I’m doing is my job – nothing big, but just doing my job. I want to make sure the students feel comfortable and safe.”