Student Profile: Brian Perez
Q: What are you studying at SCC?
A: Breads and Specialty Desserts in the Culinary School.
Q: Why did you decide to go to Seattle Central’s pastry program?
A: When I was in high school, my friend and I made some cupcakes for Valentine’s Day. And before I graduated I had to decide what I wanted to do after high school, and my thought process was, “I made some cupcakes, so I guess I can bake things.” So I went into baking.
Q: What is the worst cooking disaster you’ve ever had?
A: This one time where I didn’t put mashed potatoes into a potato bread. I told the chef and he just looked at me and asked, “But you put the potatoes in, right?” and I said, “No…” and he just stood there. And I was like, “Aaaagh!” But I was able to save it. And that taught me the importance of mise en place.
Q: What is mise en place?
A: It means gathering all your ingredients and having everything in place. Or having a bunch of mice in place…
Q: What is your favorite baking pun?
A: I’m a weirdough.
Q: If you were a kitchen object, what would you be and why?
A: A fridge. Because then I’d have all the food.
Q: What’s your favorite music?
A: It changes from time to time, but right now it would be blues—mainly Nina Simone.
Q: What’s your favorite Nina Simone song?
A: I really like “Mississippi Goddamn” and “You Don’t Know What Love Is.”
Q: If you could have any superpower what would it be?
A: Flying. Because I could fly into any tree I want and eat fruit.
Q: What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
A: I try to treat my friends like family. But I guess everyone knows that about me.
Staff Profile: Ty Pethe
Q: What is your job at SCC?
A: I’m a Program Assistant moving into Program Coordinator at the Student Leadership office. I’m also the current president of Washington Federation of State Employees Local 304, representing 2,200 employees in Seattle King County.
Q: How long have you worked at SCC?
A: I’ve worked at Seattle Central for the last nine years.
Q: What’s the best part of your job?
A: I really like helping students and making sure they get opportunities. And seeing students build all the events that they dream of doing.
Q: And what’s the hardest part of your job?
A: Well, you can’t give everything to everyone. And sometimes explaining to students the limitations of the procedures or how they need to get from step A to step Z can be really difficult. Often people really want something immediate that’s tangible in the way that they think it should be.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
A: Well, I like hiking and camping. I’m an avid boater. I’ve been rowing since I was a small kid. Also cooking and art. Originally when I was thinking about going to college I was an art major.
Q: What has been one of your favorite events to help plan or facilitate?
A: There’ve been so many! The College Activities Board has the Unity Fair every year and I’m behind the scenes getting all the contracts and the paperwork ready for that and making sure the logistics work and that’s always fun.
Q: What do you wish students knew?
A: Everyone here on campus is really here to serve students. The paychecks aren’t that large. You could go get
better-paying jobs elsewhere in the private sector. Everyone is really here becaus we’re dedicated to helping students.
Alumna Profile: Candace Chin
Q: When did you attend SCC? For how long?
A: I attended the carpentry and cabinetmaking courses for almost 3 years over 40 years ago.
Q: What did you study?
A: I attended the Gompers branch née Wood Technology Center for carpentry and cabinet-making.
Q: What was the most useful thing you learned during your time at SCC?
A: I learned about common sense—a pragmatic approach to problems. Look at the problem from a number of points of view before taking action.
Q: Has your opinion of SCC changed since you left?
A: My opinion of SCC is that it is one of the most accessible educational institutions to anyone who wants to learn a trade or work on college credits or finish their GED or learn English or other foreign languages. I am an advocate of the community college system!
Q: What is your job now?
A: I am a self-employed consultant focusing on sustainable solutions for small
business as well as relationship management.
Q: How did you get that job?
A: I graduated from the Wood Technology Center more that forty years ago. I worked in the construction trade for seven years and left the trades to work in other fields. My education and construction experience led to working for the City of Seattle as the Bridge Maintenance General Supervisor. This was one of my favorite work gigs. After a stint of living in China, I returned to attend graduate school. My MBA in sustainable business was influential in finding work in the field of sustainability.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
A: Traveling around the US, checking out national parks, spending time with grandchildren and finding new activities to engage in. I also plan to continue to be involved in my favorite non-profit organization: Young Women Empowered.
By Alexandra Sachnoff
Central Circuit 