I was a Somerville High freshman when I started to work at Tufts. I went to school for a half-day in the work release program. Then, I went to work in Hodgdon’s dishroom. (Back then, Hodgdon was a sit-down facility, like Dewick-MacPhee.) I worked there for all four years of high school. I remember meeting all the different students, from all walks of life, from around the world in that dishroom.

I started at Tufts because it was a family thing. Both my parents worked there… my two uncles and my brother, too. The Cabral family has well over 100 years of service to Tufts. My mother was one of the last people to be designated as a maid—basically, a female custodian; my father was also a custodian.

After Dining, I went into custodial service, and then to buildings and grounds, doing landscaping and snow removal for 13 years. I planted trees that are around Ballou today. It's funny watching things that you worked on grow eventually.

I’ve worked in a lot of trades at Tufts. In my final job, I’ve been a carpenter. Basically, I credit it to my parents, just their determination and pride in everything they did. In the old country, my father was an accountant for a textile company, and he became a janitor here at Tufts. In a way, it's a step down, but it isn't, you know? He still took pride in what he did, even though it was a janitor's job. Like him, I never looked down on any job I had because it's still a job. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you take pride in it.

A lot of my skills, I got from my parents. Even cleaning, being a janitor… When I was in elementary school, my parents used to take my brothers and me to work. I remember cleaning Wren, Curtis, Cohen, Alumnae Lounge along with my parents because that's the way we did it: my brothers and I, we helped out.

I’d like my years to be remembered for my dedication and honesty. I also want to give my parents credit for helping me along the way. Tufts worked for them and then I made it work for me.

—Manny Cabral, 44-year university employee, Tufts Dining and Tufts Facilities

Our Tufts is a series of personal stories shared by members of the Tufts community and featured on both Tufts Now and Instagram.