Michael Provost has been a custodian for the past three years at Saint Anselm College, quietly managing the maintenance and cleanliness of Dominic Hall. His journey to campus work followed more than two decades in a retail setting with True Value, an American hardware chain. 

“I worked for a company for twenty-four years,” he recalls. “I decided maybe I’d try something where I could work alone.”

Provost’s connection to Saint Anselm runs deep: he had three uncles who attended the school. His first assignment was at Poisson Hall, but he was transferred to Dominic Hall when construction on a new nursing building began. Since then, Provost has managed the day-to-day maintenance of the First-year boy’s dormitory.

Provost was born and raised in Manchester, he attended Memorial High School before serving in the Air Force between 1985 and 1989. After his service, he went on to attend college for two years at Plymouth State University, though he ultimately decided not to complete his studies.

In his work at Saint Anselm, Provost’s routine is about keeping spaces clean, but also ensuring students have a safe and distraction-free environment. His time at Dominic Hall hasn’t been without its surprises though.

“One time I saw a blood trail coming from the door down the stairs to the bathroom…that’s like the most horrific thing I’ve ever seen like that,” described Provost regarding the most shocking thing that he saw on the job.

Provost is a sports enthusiast; his favorite part of campus life is the athletic events. The Hawk’s football and basketball are the sports he enjoys the most. He played basketball in high school and college.

Beyond his work on campus, Provost stays active with a second job, working four-hour evening shifts at an elementary school in Manchester. He says he approaches retirement, with plans to work until around age 67.

Provost remains committed to giving his best, “I’m going to work as long as I can,” he says. 

When asked about his experience as a janitor for a college, Provost said, “You guys are the future, and I’m history, you know, so I want to help the future and I want to help these students…They’re here to study…They’re here to go to school, so I just try to keep everything clean, keep down those distractions…I like helping people, you know, making life easier.”