As an administrative services officer I and interim director of university services, Colin Tewey keeps deliveries to the UNLV campus flowing smoothly. Outside of work, Tewey, whose favorite pastime is taking his family camping “in the middle of nowhere,” seems to subscribe to John Muir’s dictum, “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”

He started as a supply tech and has risen over the last six years to become manager of delivery services. He is now the second-place recipient of the President’s Classified Employee of the Year Award for 2020.

Job duties

Most of the time I direct delivery services and property control. For the most part, it’s coordination, making sure we meet our milestones, arranging meetings. I have been on campus since the beginning of the pandemic so I step in where needed.

In delivery services, we are the last-mile delivery for everything on camps — mail, Fed Ex, all freight lines. We distribute those items all across campus.

In property control, we are the ones who place those (inventory) tags on all the sensitive equipment, including computers, laptops, cell phones — anything that connects to the internet. Lots of things have tags, including vehicles and large pieces of lab equipment. Items are tagged so that we are able to physically track them.

What it’s like on campus during the pandemic

It is super-duper quiet. It is a virtual ghost town out there. I am doing a lot more research, not as much physical work. It has made work a little easier because we can park closer!

What people on campus can do to make your job easier

One thing that would make my department’s job easier is if individuals can try to make sure that vendors are properly displaying their names on items that are coming into campus. The vendors aren’t always careful about that.

First paying job ever

Working in a crab house called Don’s Crabs in Maryland. I was actually packing crabs. It was a crab carryout, no seating. We would turn out tens of thousands of crabs a week. Thinking back,  I remember learning more about inter-business relationships and how they work out — and what it really meant to earn a hard dollar. It was so hot (that) it was unreal.

Something people would be surprised to learn about you

I am an avid pool player. I did play in a pool league for a little while. Playing pool is one of the things I thoroughly enjoy doing and something I haven’t been able to do during the pandemic.

What you like to do outside of work

I like to go camping with my family — my wife, Ashley; my daughter, Rosalie; my son, Connor; and our dog, Cassie. I enjoy finishing, mostly trout fishing in Utah. (Where I used to live), I passed over four different streams heading home from work. Not now.

I like to camp out in the middle of nowhere. Connecting with the earth is better than connecting with devices.

We just got Cassie at the beginning of the pandemic. We were helping out a family member. We took Cassie in so she didn’t have to go up for adoption. If I had a larger piece of land and a larger house I would have more pets. I grew up with five dogs.

A book, movie, or TV show to recommend

The autobiography of Frank Abagnale Jr., which was (the basis for) the movie Catch Me if You Can. He posed as a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a pilot — a whole list of different jobs.

For my last meal, I would choose…

A ribeye steak and G&M crab cake (from the G&M Restaurant in Linthicum Heights, Maryland) served with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes.