The 2026 Dr. William P. Sexton Award: Pamela Jobin
For her years of dedication in service to Our Lady’s University and her embodiment of the Notre Dame spirit, Pamela Jobin was honored with the 2026 Dr. William P. Sexton Award.
In 1987, Jobin began her journey with the University of Notre Dame greeting customers at the counter of St. Michael’s Laundry. She was one of the happy faces of the laundromat for 24 years until her retirement in 2011.
After one year off work, however, Jobin found herself wanting more to do with her days. A previous customer from the St. Michael’s had suggested she find work at South Dining Hall after her retirement and, when she went to inquire about a position, was hired on the spot as a monitor greeting students as they came into the dining hall.
Over time, Jobin formed close relationships with the young men of O’Neill Hall 4A. They became like grandsons to her, and she became a grandmother figure to them. One student with whom she became especially close was Nicholas Martinez ’19, who nominated her for the William P. Sexton Award. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic disrupted life on campus and Jobin was let go from her position. She was devastated to no longer see her students every day, but was able to stay in touch over Facebook.
In 2021, Director of Residential Dining Marc Poklinkowski, who oversees dining operations at Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College, and Holy Cross College, reached out to gauge Jobin’s interest in working as a monitor at the Noble Family Dining Hall at Saint Mary’s. Jobin gave it some thought, went in to see what it would be like, and decided that is where her next chapter was. She now has several students that feel like granddaughters to her, and once again she has become a grandmother figure to them, offering a sense of family and comfort when they are away from home. She gets many hugs, “I love you”s, and is referred to as the “on-campus grandma.”
Jobin is the loving matriarch of five daughters (one deceased), ten grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.