Anyone who has eaten at the Towers Dining Hall in the past 11 years has had their ID card swiped by Don Mooney. Beloved by students, faculty, and staff alike, Don is as well-known for his warmth and smile as he is for the poetry he often writes on the back of receipts. He’s also known to impart words of wisdom such as, “As you strive to become what the world would have you be, please don’t change the you that captivated me.”

“Don made my four years at Ithaca College so bright,” said one staff member. “Without fail, he greeted me at lunchtime with a smile and a little song or story. Even now I see stories shared by current students about him, and he still brings that joy with him every day.”

A current student said, “He never fails to make me smile. Almost every student on campus has a story about Don, and just talking to him for those two seconds it takes to swipe into a dining hall can make all the difference.”