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Annenberg Fixture John Martin Builds Community Among Freshmen

Laura N. Sanchez, a fellow ID checker in Annenberg, said Martin is a supportive colleague.

“He is a very nice guy and an easy-going person. It is very easy to work with him,” she said. “He was my trainer, when I became a checker, and he was very kind.”

While Martin does enjoy the community in Annenberg, he laments the short amount of time he has with freshmen each year.

“The only thing I don’t like is that we are only getting you guys for first year,” he said. “I mean it’s great because we get a new group in every year, but it would be better if we could see you guys for more than one year.”

Yet Martin also said he keeps up with many upperclassmen who come to Annenberg to eat breakfast.

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During quieter periods of the day, Martin familiarizes himself with the history of Annenberg and Memorial Hall.

“I think we take it for granted when we are in here,” he said, while marveling at the busts on the walls. Martin also takes time to read the explanatory plaques below each statue. “Sometimes I’ll venture off and read a little bit of this or a little bit of that. I’ve been doing that more recently to try to get familiar with the building.”

FROM FENWAY PARK TO HARVARD YARD

Before arriving at Harvard, Martin worked around the Greater Boston area at some of the most famous sites in the city, including the home of the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park.

For nearly his entire life, Martin lived in nearby Somerville.

“Growing up in Somerville, Harvard was here,” he said. “Me and my friends would always travel here. We’d go to The Garage and buy some hacky sacks.”

Martin started working at the concessions stand in Fenway Park while studying at Bay State College, located in Boston’s Back Bay.

“It was like my second year, and I was working at Fenway Park while I was going to school and [working at] Star Market,” he said. Star Market is a grocery store chain based in the Greater Boston area.

When Martin was working at Fenway Park, the Red Sox had not won a World Series championship in decades. While other employees went home after the stand closed at the end of seventh inning, Martin, an avid Red Sox fan, stayed behind.

“The best part was after the seventh inning they would let us watch the rest of game,” he said. Martin would often go to the stands to watch the game.

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