Letter to the Editor: Crimson Concierge can help students with just about anything
Crimson Concierge photo (left is Alena Silva, staff member; right is Kelly Ahrendes, coordinator) Courtesy Photo
If students at New Mexico State University need to roast and ship green chilis, they can look no further than Crimson Concierge on the first floor of the Corbett Center Student Union.
The Crimson Concierge was introduced in 2018 by the Auxiliary Services department at NMSU in partnership with Sodexo and Circles as a complimentary service provided 24-hours a day, at no charge, to anyone associated with the campus. They also do not accept tips. They offer hospitality services such as assisting with travel plans, tickets and entertainment, local events, moving and storage, housekeeping, and a lot more. On-site hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but virtual call center hours are 24 hours a day seven days a week.
The concierge service can also help with ordering gifts or specialty items or even the most unusual requests. Alena Silva, a staff member who works at the concierge desk, said, “I once got a request from someone wanting to figure out how to roast and ship green chilis.” She also said she has assisted someone who had a unique diet with restaurant choices and groceries.
Silva said the service gives back time to students who might otherwise spend hours researching and planning for something. They can just call the Crimson Concierge and use that time for other activities such as studying or spending time with friends.
Kelly Ahrendes, the coordinator at the concierge desk, said, “Some of the requests we get most often are for directions, vacation planning, and flight tickets.” He said users might be surprised to know that the Crimson Concierge has their own travel agency licenses.
Many students use their services to plan parties. Antionette Lovato, a senior at NMSU, said, “I called them for help with a birthday party. It turned out great and my friend loved it!”
Crimson Concierge was originally located in the housing office on the second floor of Corbett Center. In August 2018 they moved to their current location on the first floor.
Sodexo is NMSU’s food services provider. Sodexo is also the parent company of Circles, which is part of their personal and home services division.
Crimson Concierge can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 575-646-2079. Their Instagram page can be viewed at @NMSUCrimsonConcierge.
