UNITY -- The firing of a beloved cafeteria employee at Unity College -- called simply "Mama" by students and alumni -- has drawn protest and spawned a letter-writing campaign.

Cheryl Montana, a Unity College alumna, said she had worked at the campus cafeteria for about 14 years and was fired June 20.

Montana and a college spokesman declined to discuss the reason for the dismissal.

But Montana said she wants her job back.

"I love my kids -- I call my students 'my kids' -- because I'm their mama," Montana said. "I'm a big advocate of theirs."

Students and alumni have now become the lead advocates for Montana; they've created two pages on the social-networking site Facebook, enlisting hundreds of people and encouraging them to write letters to President Mitch Thomashow.

"Cheryl's personality is woven into the fabric of the Unity College community," said Nicole Vinci, who graduated from the college in 2007.

Mark Tardif, spokesman for Unity College, declined to comment on Montana's dismissal.

"We don't comment on personnel issues, especially not in the press," Tardif said. "That would be very unfair to our employees."

One Facebook page, "Bring Mama Montana back to Unity College," invites students and alumni to "stand together and fight for her to be hired again!"

"Plenty of kids here at Unity look forward to seeing her smiling face when we enter the cafe. No matter your troubles, Mama always seems capable of making you feel better," the page says. "I know there is at least a decade of students from Unity College that will back me up on this one! She needs our love and support; the love and support she has provided for so many of us!"

Several students and alumni said Wednesday they were stunned by the news and upset with the way her dismissal was handled.

"She was probably what made the college what it is today," said Jeremy Watts, who attended the college for three and a half years. "She pretty much acted like my second mother."

Others echoed the same sentiment, saying Montana made students feel comfortable at the college -- especially those from out of state -- and went above and beyond her job responsibilities by attending school and athletic functions.

"I love Mama," said Amy Kennedy, a sophomore. "She is the heart and soul of the cafeteria."

Rep. Jeff McCabe, a 2000 graduate of Unity College, said Montana's "nurturing spirit always helped."

"I was amazed at the way she opened up herself and her home to fellow students," McCabe said.

Asked about the response from students and alumni, Tardif said, "We have an engaged alumni and student body, and we know that."

Scott Monroe -- 861-9253

smonroe@centralmaine.com