Ms. Loretta McGhee, Dining Services Cashier
Loretta McGhee is best known to the Ferrum College community as “Ms. Loretta.” She was hired in the College’s salad room in the cafeteria in 1986. An injury forced her to begin working at the front door as the dining services cashier. Ms. Loretta remained at Ferrum College for 32 years and retired in May 2019 at the age of 87. She still resides in the area with her son.
“Every day at Ferrum was my favorite memory,” said Ms. Loretta. “I counted every day as a blessing to be there. I didn’t go in complaining because I got to see all those students and teachers, and they were all so sweet. Everyone in the cafeteria was. Every now and then a student would come in and not be so nice. But I kept speaking to them and hugging them and they got out of acting like that!”
She specifically remembers working with Jeff Gring and Mike Ferguson: “Mike is one of the nicest people in the world. He and Jeff always helped me when I didn’t understand something. I don’t know what I would’ve done without the two of them.”
Ferrum College is a special place, made even more special because of people like Ms. Loretta.