Barista’s finals week tradition moves into seventh year

By MC Bell | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Whether it’s making coffee fit for a king or passing out her handmade angels, Rosie Redmond is a celebrity at Flagler College.

Rosie uses a variety of ribbons and glass beads to make her angels unique. “I buy the ribbon $20 or $30 at a time and the same thing with the beads; I’ll buy $50 or $60 just so I don’t have to pay shipping,” she said.

Every semester, Redmond hands out her handcrafted angels to students in the Student Center as a way to help cope with the stress of final exams.

Redmond said she found the idea through Pinterest and started making handcrafted angels her first year at Flagler College.

“It was Christmas time and I wanted to make something for more than just a couple people. I want to do something I can spread to everyone,” she said.

Redmond said she found her inspiration when she went back to school to get her high school diploma.

“I felt their stress. I related to the students and had to learn that process and go back to school when I was over 50 years old to get my high school diploma,” she said. “When I finally did it, got my divorce and started working here with students, I really sympathized and understood their stress and what they were going through. You guys have ambition, you have goals. I felt they needed something a little extra.”

Redmond said it means a lot to her when students tell her how her angels have made a difference.

She said a student approached her about two years ago just before finals in Jay’s Place in the Student Center and told her she had been in an accident.

“She says my car was totaled but I was fine and I told people it was because your angel was hanging in there,” Redmond said. “I hear stories like this all the time now. I get goosebumps just hearing it and repeating it. I hear stories like this every day because of my angels.”

Redmond said she has passed out angels twice a year for the last seven years. She has gone from passing out one to two boxes a semester to five boxes this past week.

“It is tradition now that you have to get an angel from Rosie for finals,” she said.

Redmond said during the summer when she is home, she is making angels constantly.

“I’m always making them. If I’m watching TV, I’m making angels and if I’m not, I’m eating” she said.

Redmond said even though making the angels take a lot of time, the impact they have on students is why she continues the tradition.

“If that angel makes you feel more confident for just one minute to help you get through, then I’m glad I did it,” she said. “The stories are what inspire me to keep doing it. How can you stop? Angels are my thing now and I’ll probably do them as long as I’m here.”