A visit to Methodist University’s Green & Gold Dining Hall is never quite complete without a trip to the bakery area. There, you can find a selection of brownies, cookies, breads, and other delectable desserts – along with a warm smile from the baker who makes daily sugar rushes possible, Isis Diaz ’22.
A visit to Methodist University’s Green & Gold Dining Hall is never quite complete without a trip to the bakery area.
There, you can find a selection of brownies, cookies, breads, and other delectable desserts – along with a warm smile from the baker who makes daily sugar rushes possible, Isis Diaz ’22.
“I love seeing everyone’s faces when they’re eating my desserts,” Diaz said. “I like making people happy, so if what I make does that, I’m happy, too.”
Diaz grew up in a large family in Boston, where she grew an appreciation for baking at an early age.
“When I was in second grade and the show ‘Cake Boss’ came on the TV, I was fascinated by all of the crazy cakes they would make. It made it difficult to finish my homework,” she joked.
Diaz grew up with aspirations of opening her own cupcake business and knew she had to build her business acumen, first. She started by earning an associate degree in Business from Northern Essex Community College (Haverhill, Mass.).
Diaz and her family moved to Fayetteville in 2020 to be closer to other family members and she quickly enrolled into Methodist University’s Management program with hopes of expanding her business knowledge. She mentioned the University’s affordability, paired with its proximity to family, as pivotal factors in her decision to attend MU.
“I really enjoyed the classes here,” she said. “I loved going to Dr. [Mark] Regensburger’s classes because he made it fun, but I also always looked forward to the Reading Circle, too.”
With Diaz’s sights still set on entering the bakery business, the then-senior started a bakery internship at Aramark, Methodist University’s food and facilities service.
Diaz made a strong impression and was hired as a full-time baker by the time she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Management in May 2022.
Since, Diaz has expanded her baking capabilities, making a variety of sweet dishes for MU students, faculty, staff, and guests each day. She especially enjoys making cupcakes, banana bread, and pumpkin bread.
But her education at MU also prepared her for the less-than-sweet, but important, tasks as a baker.
“It helped me learn how to plan,” Diaz said. “It’s taught me everything from making a schedule to ordering supplies to managing a budget.”
Diaz recently picked up a part-time job as a decorator at Sam Club’s baking department. Although both jobs keep her busy, Diaz hopes her determination will bring her closer to her ultimate goal.
“Now, many bakers are operating their businesses from home. I would like to do that until I’m able to build a large client base, and then down the line, perhaps I can operate from my own shop,” Diaz said. “I would make cupcakes, cakes, cookies, bread, or anything else that people enjoy.”
Until then, the MU community can catch Diaz in the baking section of the Green & Gold Dining Hall on weekdays for breakfast and lunch.
“I’m grateful for my experience at MU,” she added. “I love getting a chance to meet and talk to new people and everyone here is so friendly.”