Betty Vasquez has been feeding Grossmont College for a generation.
Vasquez, whose first job at Grossmont College back in 2004 included preparing meals for future Griffins at the campus Child Development Center, has also served pizzas, packed sandwiches, brewed lattes, and warmed up chocolate croissants at the Griffin Grill and Java Café over the years, first under the auspices of Aztec Shops and now through Sodexo food services.
“I love my job,” said the mother of four children – the eldest of whom will be graduating from El Cajon Valley High School this spring and is leaning toward enrolling at Grossmont College in the fall. “I love the people here, the students…I just like working here.”
A native of Durango, Mexico, Vasquez moved to the region with her parents when she was just 2 ½ years old. She grew up in Southeastern San Diego and began working at Grossmont College not long after graduating from El Cajon Valley High. She carries fond memories of her years at the Child Development Center, where her eldest was enrolled at the time.
“It was a really good experience for me, a perfect fit,” Vasquez said. “They not only are great at taking care of the kids, but they are very supportive of the parents as well.”
The support was critical; the birth of her daughter was nothing short of a minor miracle.
Here’s how Vasquez tells the story:
“When I was pregnant, the doctors told me my daughter was likely to have Down syndrome and suffer from spina bifida. They suggested I have an abortion. But I said, ‘No. If this is the baby God wants me to raise, I will raise this baby with love and will care for this child forever. She was born premature, not much bigger than a soda can, but she didn’t have Down, she didn’t have spina bifida, and she grew up to be a healthy young woman.”
The lesson: “You don’t know what people are going through, so you need to be nice, you need to be friendly. Sometimes, when someone just even smiles at you, it can make your day. I try to motivate people; I want to be there for our students. You never know; during finals, they can be all stressed. They deserve our support.”
Added Vasquez: “No matter what happens at home, when you come to work, you give your best.”