Back before I was Mom or Jessie of The Someday Home, I was Jessie, Admissions Representative for Wayne State College. And prior to that, I was Jessie, Admissions receptionist for the University of Nebraska at Omaha. And prior to that and that, I was Jessie, student worker/office assistant/summer host for the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Wayne State College. I spent a LOT of time in college Admissions and honestly never planned to leave it. I loved helping families find the right college fit for their seniors and navigating the admissions process with them. It was fulfilling and although the travel season was sometimes exhausting, it was a job I could perform off of pure passion even when my energy levels were low.
Higher education played a huge part in my formative years, and although I’m no longer a professional in that space (and I’m not really fully utilizing the degree I spent five years earning), it still holds a really special place in my heart. That’s why when Quinn, a fellow Wildcat Admissions Rep (and fast friend turned forever friend) reached out to ask for something special at Doane University, I felt like the stars were aligning. My worlds were colliding. It was finally happening. A full-circle moment.
Custom Rolling Buffet for Doane University
As I mentioned, Quinn reached out to see if I could help her brainstorm and execute a creative storage solution for the Welcome Center at Doane University. The space hosts prospective students and their families, as well as a variety of campus functions, and they needed somewhere to store and serve food and beverages. Versatility was the overall goal: this buffet needed to be able to function as either one long buffet, or split apart to be used as two smaller pieces.
The requirements
Easy enough, but also, when it’s all together as one piece, we didn’t want it to look like two buffets shoved together. It needed to look like it was one long piece. When not in use, it needed to be able to house coffee, drink ware, and accessories, and it needed to be able to lock. Oh, and they wanted it on castors for easy use.
The design
The space was going to be undergoing some updating, so I designed the rolling buffet to reflect the new design direction. We decided a clean, slightly modern style would fit the space best. I created a fluted texture that wrapped around the front and sides. I added a locking mechanism to the ends so the buffets could be locked together as one, or unlocked and used as two. The sign proudly sports the Doane University crest and nestles nicely between the fluted boards, and is secured with magnets.
This was such a fun departure from the built in projects that typically fill my to-do list. As always, my overarching goal is to create something that makes life better for the people who use it. Residential projects will always have a special place in my heart, but this felt like a full-circle moment to have my work in such a high-traffic, high-demand space in a building on a college campus. Sometimes I have to stop to force myself to take it in; I GET to do this work. I GET to make cool stuff that enhances the lives of the people who use it.
What a freaking honor.
