Campus is full of familiar faces. Students, professors, workers. Everyone is working together to make the campus life what it is today. 

Each person is more than a passing, smiling face. Everyone has an individual story.

A familiar face many see on a daily basis is April Ledford. 

Ledford works in the Lions Den in Billingsly Student Center and is seen either behind the grill or behind the register. She always has a smile on her face and loves her job. 

This is Ledford’s second semester on Missouri Southern’s campus. She was raised in Anderson, but has lived in Joplin for the last 21 years.

Ledford attended Crowder in Neosho, where she received an associates degree in office administration. 

For 10 years she worked in a medical office setting. 

After her son was born, she took a break from working for about seven years to stay at home and take care of him.

About five years ago is when she jumped back into the workforce, this time in food catering, a field in which she was a novice.

“I used to know nothing, but now I know so much and I’m still continuing to learn,” she said. “I love working here and seeing everyone every day and the scheduled it works with me.”

Her favorite part is interacting with all everyone who comes into the Lions Den. 

Ledford loves talking to different students every day and seeing the same ones coming in all the time and talking to her. 

Her bonus, is she loves having the summers off to spend extra time with her family. 

Outside of work Ledford enjoys spending time with her husband and son. The family has three wiener dogs – two who are named Two-Bit and Sodapop after characters in The Outsiders’ book. 

Ledford and her family like to go out on their boat, go camping or hiking, or take cruises with the grandparents. 

Ledford said as long as she’s with her family, she’s completely happy.