Anyone coming in or out of the Knight Campus has been warmly greeted by one of the Knight Campus Reception Team members. Below, read about Margie Hays, Aidan King, and Maya Lorton.
What is your role, and what does your work involve?
We are Workplace Coordinators — we all share the load which has made the opening of Building 2 so seamless. Basically, we are a team of three people keeping the front office running. We greet visitors and answer phones, handle conference room scheduling and calendars for the events at the Knight Campus, and just generally making sure the day-to-day office stuff doesn't fall through the cracks. Supplies, mail, coordinating between departments, whatever admin task pops up, that's us! It's a lot of little moving pieces, but it all adds up to making sure people can actually get their work done without office logistics getting in the way.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
Margie: I really appreciate how refreshing every day is and it doesn’t get boring. Working a desk job, it’s common for folks to get bored of the monotonous ins and out. Here, we constantly clock in over 14K steps, meet new and exciting people, form relationships with staff and students, and get to be a part of the behind-the-scenes action of event logistics like graduation, the annual year-end celebration, and the Building 2 grand opening. It’s so fun!
Aidan: I enjoy the collaboration. It’s rewarding to see an event or project come together successfully after all the planning and preparation behind the scenes. I especially enjoy working with multiple teams on large projects and watching everyone’s contributions come together to create a great result.
Maya: My favorite aspect of my job is getting to meet everyone in the building. My colleagues are all so nice and wonderful to work with. I’m always happy when someone wants to stop by the front desk and say hello or fill out my whiteboard prompt. I create new prompts on a whiteboard at the Building 1 front desk every week. Anyone is welcome to stop by to write an answer and it’s a great conversation starter.
What is your favorite way to spend time outside of work?
Aidan: I enjoy building computers, watching movies, gardening, and spending time on the water. Whether it’s paddleboarding, floating down a river, or fishing, I’m happiest when I can have peace outdoors.
Maya: Outside of work I enjoy gardening, cross stitching, and cooking. I have a bountiful garden at home, and I love bringing my harvests to work to share with everyone. I’m also obsessed with baking sourdough bread right now.
Margie: The Coast! As a Southern California girl, I grew up next to the beach, and I will always hold space for the surf and sand in my heart. A weekend or day trip to the coast is like a reset button for me when life gets hectic. It’s a goal of mine to find a Lincoln City beach glass float!
What is a favorite local restaurant, activity, or place to visit?
Maya: My favorite local restaurant is Tiger Mama. Their wings are amazing and I love the tofu they give at the beginning of the meal. Korean food is one of my favorites, and they have some of the best Korean food in town.
Margie: Mandy’s. I LOVE breakfast food for any meal, besides breakfast. I appreciate that they’re open 24 hours and can hit my sweet breakfast craving at any time! My second favorite place to eat is the Crow and Cart in the Whit. Although they don’t serve food, the ample food carts and restaurants nearby make it a wonderful atmosphere.
Aidan: I've had great food and drinks at Bar Perlieu and Rye, but mostly act as my own chef and bartender at home. My favorite dish to make is a Moroccan Lamb tagine, full of spices, dried fruit and herbs. I usually make whiskey Sours, negronis, or espresso martinis depending on the occasion.
Early bird or night owl?
Margie: Early bird. I always have high hopes to stay up late and watch cool movies but nine times out of ten, I’m asleep by 10pm.
Aidan: Night owl. In a perfect world, I think my brain would like to get up at 10am, have an afternoon nap, and be up till midnight or later every night.
Maya: I am an early bird. I’m up by 6am every day and have a really hard time staying up past 10pm. I cover the late shift at the desk (9am-6pm) so it’s nice to have a few hours to myself in the morning to take my dog for a walk or read a book.
What is a fun fact about you that might surprise your colleagues?
Aidan: I'm very passionate about coffee.
Maya: I went to a Japanese immersion school growing up in Portland. I took Japanese classes from kindergarten all the way through senior year of high school. I continued my studies through college and have a minor in Japanese from the University of Oregon. My family doesn’t speak the language so I haven’t been able to keep up with my studies since I graduated in 2022, but I would love to visit Japan again someday.
Margie: I have my own business! I am the founder of La Charcutie, a charcuterie catering company that serves the greater Eugene area for all life’s events. From corporate events, baby showers, celebration of life and weddings. When I’m not working my 9 - 5, I’m working my other 9 - 5 on the weekends!
— Knight Campus Internal Newsletter – September 2026