Meet Maurice "Mo" Joseph

Chances are, if you've ever walked down 168th Street, you've been greeted by Maurice Joseph, affectionately known as “Mo.” Mo is the head groundskeeper for Facilities Management and has been a dedicated CUIMC employee for 15 years. One of Mo’s favorite parts about working in his role is that he gets to spend lots of time outside. This allows him to meet a variety of people from all walks of life and hear their stories.

I enjoy being outside and speaking to people. It’s amazing! I can tell what people work here and what people are coming here for difficult appointments. When people come in for appointments, I try to be like the usher at the Church. Ushers open the doors for people ad they are supposed to greet the people. People are already worried because they are coming here for serious appointments so sometimes when I know they’re doing that because I see them coming in for the same appointment every day, I say 'Keep going, it’s gonna be alright'.

Mo considers encouragement to be one of his strongest gifts, and he is happy that he can put this gift to use at work.

“It’s almost like God puts the special words in my mouth to attract a lotta people,” Mo says. “I try and get people to pass it on when they voice appreciation. I love being out there and meeting different people—some with money, some without money, some with prestigious jobs—people are people. I love this area. I made lots of friends out here.”

Aside from his job at CUIMC, Mo thinks people might find it surprising that he has a degree in Communication Arts and serves as a deacon in a church in his free time. “I have 35 people from different states who come together on Mondays and pray with me on a Zoom call for a prayer line. I was praying for a talk show for two months. The prayer line that I was led to is almost like a talk show,” Mo says.

Relationships are very meaningful to Mo, and he believes that a person's greatest resources are the people in their life. “In your circle, someone is there who can help you. What you say matters to people, and it stays with them for a long time. You never know what a really nice greeting can do for someone.”