Staff member of the week: Derrick Burton rocking the campus with humor

Library director, Derrick Burton, has been making waves in the library stacks. Photo courtesy Megan Brandrup

By Megan Brandrup

Derrick Burton, the director of Luise V. Hanson library at Waldorf College, has become a bit of a celebrity among the Waldorf students. Burton’s colorful and humorous emails to the campus have students looking forward to checking their daily emails. When asked about how he felt about his new-found email fame, Burton said, “Everyone loves the e-mails, but it’s like being a hero for catching a serial killer. It was great, but you kind of wish it wasn’t necessary, right?”

Today, as he keeps students on the edge of their seats, it’s hard to imagine that Burton was just a college student himself a few years ago. Burton attended Michigan State University with original goals of becoming a writer. As many college students know, your major most likely will change at least once before you graduate college, and this is how Burton ended up with his degree in English.

“I did my graduate work in Detroit at Wayne State University, which gave me a lot of fantastic professional and personal experience,” said Burton.

Working at Waldorf College is something Burton values a great deal. When asked what his favorite part of working at Waldorf was, Burton said, “Definitely the people, if I didn’t enjoy the students and faculty I don’t think that I would have ever taken the job. That said, it is nice to send everyone home at the end of the day.”

Burton also enjoys helping students and student groups across campus. Burton wants all the student groups on campus to know that, “I think many of the groups on campus forget about us (the library,) or don’t necessarily know what we can do for them, which is something i’d like to change.” Burton and the library staff have recently revived the knitting club, “The Knitwits.” He also works to make the library a more popular place on campus by holding movie days, and has announced that the library will be hosting a cat video film festival.

Something that is relatively unknown about Burton is that music is his number one passion. “I’ve always got stuff spinning or albums I’m looking forward to,” said Burton. He also enjoys painting. “Some people on campus have been unfortunate to receive paintings from me,” said Burton.

He also enjoys running. “If you spot me running on campus, it is probably akin to watching a too full Capri-Sun blowing down the sidewalk,” Burton said.

Burton has become a Waldorf celebrity in just a few months. He has the goal of making the Luise V. Hanson library one of the most popular places on campus. Burton’s comedic emails, and funny antics have staff and students on the edge of their seats.

“To my copycat killers out there, I see you, you just aren’t worth the letters,” Burton said.