Today I struck up a conversation with a young African-American woman working at the McKinney “Restore,” a favorite spot of ours when shopping for building materials. I have noticed this young woman on previous visits because she is always attentive and proactive with the customers, as well as efficient. In fact, I’ve said to myself on at least three occasions, “Now, that is someone I would hire.”
Today in the course of standing at her checkout station, the young woman asked my telephone number for the Restore Rewards program. When she heard the prefix 310, she smiled and said, “Ah, Southern California.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I grew up near San Francisco, but I went to college in Southern CA and I love it there.”
“What college?”
“Pitzer,” she said.
Now not everyone knows Pitzer as I do (particularly in Texas) because I work with CA high school students applying to college. These are just a few facts about Pitzer:
– The student/faculty ratio is 11:1. – It is a top-tier private liberal arts college. – 20 Pitzer graduates were awarded Fulbright Scholarships this past year. – In 2012, the admission rate was 15.7 percent of the student applicant pool. – Only 30 liberal arts colleges have acceptance rates less than 25 percent. From: (http://www.pitzer.edu/admission/why_pitzer/at_a_glance.asp)
In other words, this is one of the best and most competitive private colleges in the United States and this young woman had graduated from there.
“So, what brought you to McKinney?” I asked.
“My parents moved here and I came two years ago after I graduated.”
“Your field?”
“Community Organization with a minor in Sociology.”
“And now?”
“I want to go to graduate school at UTD, but I’ve been working here everyday and I’ve kind of lost my direction and…”
“Well, I said, “I happen to know what a fine college Pitzer is, so every time I come in here from now on, I’m going to ask you how those grad school applications are going. Is that fine?”
She smiled. “I think I could use the push.”
As I was leaving I said to Ray, “I knew there was more to that girl’s story.”
Ray reminded me that “Restore” is part of Habitat for Humanities, which is a perfect example of a “community organization,” which was the basis for her Bachelor’s degree.
“A good point, but still, it sounds as if she needs to move on with her education. She said herself that she had ‘lost her direction.’”
“Agreed,” he said.
I am glad that my radar was correct – there is something very special about this girl. She is clearly very smart. She has to be because she could have never made it into (or through) Pitzer without keen intelligence. But equally as important (or perhaps even more), she displays a superlative work ethic. The fact that she is manning a counter for minimum wage does not keep her from doing the best job she can do. I say “Brava” to that.
And I will keep my promise. Next time I see her, I will give that “push” by asking about her future plans.
Today, she and I moved from customer and sales clerk to fellow human beings who actually saw each other.
“Restore” takes on a number of different meanings in that context.
Wow. I love it when that happens.
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