If the two employees they chose as "Unsung Heroes" are any indication, Sweet Briar College students place a premium on well-prepared food and clean dorm rooms. But as it turns out, neither means much if not delivered with a smiling face and friendly, helpful attitude.

These qualities pushed SBC first cook Carson Warrick and housekeeper/custodian Sharon Roberson to the head of the pack when the student body voted for a male and female "Unsung Hero" of 2003-'04. Carson, a 36-year employee of Sweet Briar, and Roberson, who has worked at the College for seven years, received their awards in a lunchtime banquet ceremony on Friday, April 2.

The students voted using a simple criterion: Which male and female employee most notably goes above and beyond the call of duty to make Sweet Briar a better place? Banquet organizer Briana Beckham '04 said her classmates responded in kind. "The students were very enthusiastic and ready to honor our employees," she said.

Beckham opened the ceremony with a few words, followed by remarks from SBC President Elisabeth Muhlenfeld. The recognition of employee achievement began on a decidedly light note with the "Crazy Team" awards, which include categories such as "Most Likely to Crack a Joke" and "Most Likely to Break Out in Song or Dance."

"I took the nine employees with the highest number of votes," Beckham said, "and they got certificates and gag gifts. They had to come up and put on part of a silly costume as well."

After that icebreaker, Beckham announced the "Unsung Hero Awards" for 2004. Warrick, an Amherst native who started out at Sweet Briar as a dishwasher in the late 1960s, said the announcement caught him completely off guard. "I'm hardly ever without words," he said, "but I was just lost - I was lost for words. I didn't expect anything like this."

The father of three said he's always taken pride in his work and makes a point of setting a positive mood for Prothro Dining Hall. "If you make 'em happy," he said, "it's yours. I hope they look forward to seeing my smile each morning. Seven in the morning is a bad time to walk in and see a frowning face."

Roberson, who maintains housekeeping in the Meta Glass Residence Hall, said she was "shocked" when her name was called at the banquet. "It made my weekend."

The Madison Heights resident and married grandmother of four shares a philosophy of personal attention with her "Unsung Hero" partner. "These are wonderful girls to work with," she said. "A lot of them are away from home for the first time. I like to be there for them. I like to know who they are."

Roberson said she's committed to Sweet Briar -- and Meta Glass -- for the long haul. "I've been in this building for seven years. I hope they never take me out of it."

Sweet Briar chaplain Guy Brewer, whose office co-sponsored the event along with students, said the "Unsung Heroes" Banquet is the beginning of something special. "It exceeded our expectations," he said. It's a wonderful first-year beginning for what we hope will be an annual event."