The Man Behind the Counter at the Maryland Dairy
Image credit: Christina Armeni for The Campus Trainer
Ice cream is more than just a tasty treat for some students at the University of Maryland. Longtime Maryland Dairy employee Stephen Proctor is dedicated to turning the popular UMD dessert into a stress-relieving outlet.
In his five years working at the Dairy, Proctor has perfected the art of ice cream serving, while improving students’ days.
“Ice cream is therapeutic,” Proctor said.
Many students use the Dairy as a convenient way to de-stress or celebrate.
“I enjoy changing a person’s mood,” Proctor said. “When they come in here, they’re frustrated from an exam or there’s a lot of pressure on their back from something that has to do with school. A lot of people come here and they want that therapy, they want something that’s gonna keep them calm. Ice cream.”
Image credit: Christina Armeni for The Campus Trainer
Proctor began working at the University of Maryland Dairy in 2014 because it was close to his house and he needed to find work.
“In the beginning it was a struggle,” Proctor said.
He had to overcome his self-doubt about being 36 and working on a college campus.
“It weighed on my conscience at first,” he said.
As he began to interact with more students, however, he discovered a passion for his job.
“I love talking with the students because even though I’m not that much older, I still feel like I wanna give back to the younger crowd or the younger generation,” Proctor said.
“When I get a good score on an exam, that’s when I get it. It’s like a treat for myself,” Jucel Arizabal, a junior public health science major, said. “It’s a good outlet when your stressed,” Arizabal said, adding that Terpresso is by far her favorite flavor.
The Maryland Dairy has been open for more than 95 years. The small shop, located in the Stamp Student Union, is a staple on campus, priding itself in hand-crafted unique flavors. It is the only place on campus where you can have a scoop of s’mores or rocky road ice cream in a cup next to a scoop of ice cream named after UMD football coach Mike Locksley.
According to Proctor, the Dairy’s newest flavor, pumpkin, is a student favorite. The flavor was available since the beginning of November and will stay until the end of the month.
Proctor said his favorite part about the day is seeing customers do a “little happy dance” when they are about to get their treat.
“Man, I love that. I swear it’s the most beautiful thing to see,” Proctor said.
Hafsa Karim, a freshman computer science major, gets ice cream from the Dairy a few times a month whenever she is feeling down. She claims that it always makes her feel good.
“And the ice cream tastes really good. It’s better than the diner ice cream,” Karim said, while holding a cup of the Terpresso flavor.
More than half of the staff at the Dairy are student workers, according to Proctor. Proctor said that the students he works with make him think “there is hope for the world.”
“The more I get close with students, the better I feel about my future and my kids' future,” Proctor said.
Proctor has two daughters, an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, who love when he brings home ice cream.
One senior, Meg Cayer, tried the Dairy for the first time this week.
“I didn’t know about it until the other day. I don’t come into Stamp that often,” said Cayer, a criminology and criminal justice major. “Oh, I’ll be back,” Cayer said, with her mouth full of ice cream.
Image credit: Christina Armeni for The Campus Trainer
