New Saxbys SCEO is leading by example

By Sofia Santiago

Saxbys’ website details its mission to “make life better” through several core values. Before starting in her position as the spring 2026  Saxbys Student CEO, Leonor Alves recalls reading through them and found that they resonated with her. 

‘We are a Community, Serving Our Community’

As a senior business administration major, Alves has been a part of the Rider community for four years. She has played as a midfielder on the women’s soccer team since her freshman year and worked at Muller’s Pub before starting her internship at Saxbys. Most of her fall semester is dedicated to the sport, but with the season over, she explained that she takes the spring semesters to focus on her career and prepare for the future.

Alves was already familiar with Saxbys as one of the go-to cafes and study spots on campus and she often frequents Sweigart Hall, where Saxbys is located, for classes, advising or to grab some food. However, she was not aware of the structure nor scope of the Saxbys Experiential Learning Program until a meeting she had with Karl Craft, director of career development and success, in which she was informed about the position.

“I heard about this, and I thought it was an awesome internship, because you get to deal with a lot of different parts of the business. And Saxbys is really amazing. Not enough [people talk] about how well structured they are,” Alves said.

After the application process, she was accepted and started her training, which included online courses that involved lectures, readings, discussions and a final presentation project. Over winter break, she attended a week of training at the Saxbys headquarters in Philadelphia.

She described how her experience there took care of any concerns she had. 

“[Saxbys is] so quick to answer. You really feel like you have a whole team with you. It’s not like you’re alone managing the cafe at all,” Alves said. 

As a customer, Alves never thought about the behind the scenes.

“You just look at the cafe, and then you look at the food and the drinks, and you don’t see all the steps that come behind in order for you to have everything well prepared on time. That amazed me, all that process. And I really, really like the structure and the support they gave,” Alves said.

Another concern she had before stepping into the position was fitting in with the team at Rider. As the work started, those concerns also disappeared.

“[Alves] started pretty recently, but already she’s off to an amazing start. She is super personable. She’s always helping us behind bar. She’s always going out of her way, even when she’s not technically on the clock, to do anything that we might need,” said Joey Mangam, a junior elementary education major, who has been working at Saxbys for a year and is currently one of the team leads. 

Mangam explained that Alves was inquisitive and not afraid to ask for help. 

Because of the support from headquarters and from the Rider’s Saxbys team, Alves feels that the initial challenge of getting used to a new environment was easier.

Alves said, “That’s normal when you have a team. We rely on each other, and sometimes, things happen, and it’s not as planned, but that’s fine as well. We’ll find a solution for that.” 

‘Care Personally and Communicate Openly’

Being the Saxbys SCEO is a comprehensive and busy job for Alves. 

“My focus has been 100% on the cafe, the team, the tasks, everything,” she said.

On a weekly basis, she gets to the cafe an hour before it opens to take inventory and places orders through various vendors, if necessary. Other tasks include making reports on sales and costs and having weekly meetings with her manager and staff, but most of her time is spent behind the counter preparing food. Communication is key for her, especially during morning rushes.

“There are always things that happen,” Alves said. “For example, one of our ovens broke down, which obviously is going to slow us down on the food part while we’re working on repairs. These are things that we can’t control, so we have to focus on what we can control.”

She explained the best way to help her team is to schedule enough team members and delegate the different stations that need them so the food can be served quickly.

“A big part, if I’m working behind the bar when there’s a rush, is just checking if everything is okay, helping out every team member that needs help and obviously to do it myself, not just to rely on others to work,” Alves said.

Mangam affirmed, “[Alves is] very hands on. She gives us tips and pointers if needed, and she isn’t afraid to kind of tell us if we need to improve on something. But the way that she does it is very kind.”

Alves’ time spent working at Muller’s Pub helped her with her customer service skills, but she noted the differences between the two seemingly similar jobs. At the Pub, she could chat with the customers and see how their day was going. 

“The rush here, it’s much different. The speed you need to have is much greater. We have that [guest] interaction here, it’s awesome if we can do that, but we don’t have as much time,” Alves said. 

At Saxbys, speed of service is something that she is always trying to improve. Alves makes the effort to communicate with others in all aspects of life, not just with customers and the Saxbys team.

Originally from Portugal, Alves’ family lives abroad. She visits during breaks and tries to call home whenever she is free. However, with a time difference of five hours, it can be a challenge.

“Now, during the day I’m very busy, and at night, when I’m free, they’re asleep. But they know this is the best for me and for my future, so they understand. On the weekends, we always try to catch up more and talk for longer,” she explained.

Eloise Jones, senior criminal justice major and player on Rider women’s soccer team, has known Alves since their freshman year. Longtime friends and teammates, Jones recalled how quiet Alves was when they first met and how much that has changed.

“Something I always really respect about [Alves] is that English isn’t her first language, but that hasn’t stopped her in any way,” Jones said.

‘Serve Yourself by Serving Others’

As a leader, Alves emulates what she admires in leaders that she has had.

“A big thing that I like in leaders, and I try to live by myself, is lead by example,” she explained. She puts this into practice by doing the tasks that are not as enjoyable, such as deep cleaning. 

Alves will split up tasks that are “not enjoyable,” still encouraging teamwork to get tasks done faster, ensuring that no one works alone. By splitting the tasks and holding everyone accountable, the standards are the same for everyone. The team also appreciates this.

“Sometimes [Alves will] come behind bar when we’re closing, and help us do dishes or go take out the trash, things that people don’t typically like to do … Her being behind bar and helping us all the time really shows how dedicated she is to her position and how much she cares about it,” Mangam said.

Jones echoed this sentiment, “She’s done it all, but I’ve never seen her be so excited … She is the friend that will come and pick you up at 3 a.m. if you’re stranded. She would go above and beyond for anyone, you don’t even have to ask, and she’s there.”