“Hey baby!”
“I’m ready!”
“Next!”
Yvonne Pinder takes a moment from her busy day. (Photo by Communitarian Staff)
As early as 8 a.m., sleepy and hung-over students all over campus can hear and depend on one loud, friendly and familiar voice, while walking through the halls of Delaware County Community College.
DCCC’s café opens at 10 a.m. daily, but the bitterly cold early mornings and “manic Mondays” don’t keep café worker and cashier Yvonne Pinder, 53, from smiling and cracking jokes with the students.
“I just try to come to work everyday with a positive mind set,” Pinder said. “I walk out of my door, leave all my problems at home and put a smile on my face.”
Pinder is a part of DCCC’s café management. She works for Canteen Food Service, which is in its second year of their contract with the college.
This is Pinder’s third year working as a cashier at the college after previously working at the Philadelphia International Airport for four years. All in all, Pinder has been in the food industry for seven years.
Pinder works five days a week from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. She said she thoroughly enjoys doing her job because of the opportunity she gets to meet new people and because the students make her day.
“I love it here at DCCC,” Pinder said. “The students here make my day go by fast and they’re always keeping a smile on my face.”
Pinder has been happily married for seven years to her husband, Ralph, and she has a daughter Dorothy, 34, and a son Carnell, 21. She enjoys dancing and singing karaoke in her spare time.
“Whenever someone is short on change, she’s willing to help you out,” said Andrew Grafstrom, 20, a liberal arts major.
“One time I was digging in my wallet because I was short on change for my daily coffee,” said Carrie Hasson, 19, an education major. “Yvonne then generously put her own money into the register so I wouldn’t be late for class. She brightened up my day.”
Although a few students said they occasionally find Pinder’s outgoing personality a little distracting from completing their school work, they still appreciate her enthusiasm.
In fact, Pinder’s peers, students, coworkers, and faculty said they love her enthusiasm and generosity.
“She is amazing and she makes my day,” said adjunct technology professor Bill Butler. “She is truly a valuable asset to DCCC and she represents it in a good way.”
“Yvonne finds a way to always be positive,” said Natasha Holmes, 30, a science major. “When you’re down, she’ll always pick you up and that’s good for a college campus.”
Enoch Carter, a utility worker, added that before he met Yvonne, he had never met a woman who was so comfortable in her own skin.
“She is truly one of a kind,” said Mike Carroll, a custodian.
“She is really a valuable asset to our school,” Grafstrom added. “No matter what, she is in a good mood and that in turn [puts] the students in a better mood.”
Pinder said she looks forward to working at the school for many years to come and having the opportunity to meet many new people.
“Customer service is her main objective,” said Sean Gow, the general manager for Canteen Dining Service. “And the students look forward to seeing her day in and day out.”
Contact Joe Giotti at
communitarian@mail.dccc.edu
