As a student, a sweet treat can be more than just a sweet treat; it can provide comfort, excitement, and joy, especially during stressful and sad days. Over the past few months, one treat in particular has become a campus favorite: Sugar cookies. That students can find at Rosie’s, Eastway, and Bistro.
Behind this trend is someone sensitive who deeply understands the complex life of a student, “just a mom,” as she describes herself. Susan Calvin, a food service worker at University Culinary Services, who is very passionate about animals and a Registered Veterinary Technician who started as an RVT 21 years ago, has now become a cookie artist.
Susan’s journey at spans nearly four years, moving from regional campuses in East Liverpool and Salem to the main campus. Her creative path began unexpectedly when upper management asked her department to bake cookies for an event.
While most were satisfied with simple sprinkles and icing, Susan wanted to add a personal, imaginative touch. “I thought, why not make them more creative?” She recalls. “Joel, my supervisor, was so supportive of the idea, and that’s how it all started.”
Her inspiration comes from her daughter, a senior. “Through my daughter, I get a sense of what students enjoy,” Susan explains. “I pay attention to what makes them smile, and sometimes I just pray for ideas.”
Patience and experimentation define her creative process. Susan’s journey to baking cookies started with just one class, and she improved her skills on her own through practice and online videos.
Each cookie is carefully baked, iced, and left to dry for 24 hours. “I make every cookie with care and patience,” she says. “Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but even mistakes can turn into a lesson, happy mistakes,” she adds.
“Sometimes the icing falls in the wrong place, but that’s okay,” she says. “You just let it settle, be patient, and keep going. That’s how you get it right.” That’s a lesson students can take from her story, and how her cookies make them feel good. Life can be stressful, and we all make mistakes, but it’s okay. Keep trying, take a breath, and remember you’re doing great. Her “happy mistakes” philosophy reminds us that there’s beauty in learning, even when it seems stressful, a reality students experience every day.
“I’m just a mom sharing a little joy,” she says with a smile. “If a cookie can make someone happy, then that’s everything to me.”
Her cookies have become a small but meaningful ritual for the community. Students stop by daily, curious about the . For Susan, cookie decorating is more than baking; it’s a form of art and a way to connect.
