If you've walked into the cafeteria at PCOM, you know Heather Donahue.
She's the woman behind some of the best breakfast in Philadelphia and the voice that keeps you entertained as you wait to taste it.
“I never cooked an egg until I started working here,” she admits. “I was a line cook for 18 years, and then the restaurant I was working at was sold. I saw the ad for this job on Craigslist and decided to give it a shot.”
Seven years later, Heather has become the face of the cafeteria.
“I don't come into work thinking I'm going to act a certain way,” she shared. “I don't try to be anybody else, and I think no one can deny that I'm just Heather.”
That authenticity is what keeps students, faculty and staff coming back. So often, in fact, that Heather has her own PCOM “regulars”.
“I don't know how I remember everyone's name and order, because I couldn't tell you what I ate for dinner last night or where I parked my car,” she said with a laugh. “But you ask me what the president's favorite order is and I got it off the top of my head.”
Her regulars aren't the only ones who receive five-star service. Heather spends just as much time making sure the people she doesn't know leave her line with a smile on their faces.
“If I wasn't a chef, I always wanted to be a shell breaker—whatever that is,” she said. “Busting people out of their shyness. On a student's first day, they're so nervous, and I love offering a tour or some help.”
Outside of work, Heather enjoys spending time with her family. Her fourteen-year-old
daughter loves taking control in the kitchen, while her boyfriend shares her passion
for thrifting and collecting old books.
“It's a problem,” she said. “I've always liked the look of walking into someone's house and seeing a massive shelf filled with books. For me, there's something fun about holding a 1920's cookbook and seeing the weird things people liked to eat back then.”
Her passion for food and cooking is evident, but the love she has for the people at PCOM is what sets her apart from the rest.
“Before, I was cooped up in a kitchen with older chefs, but it's so different here,” she shared.
“The walk into work is beautiful, the people are friendly, and interacting with everyone is great. I'm always able to be myself—a little sarcastic or a little sweet—and they show me love either way.”
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
Brandon Lausch
Executive Director, Strategic Communications
Email: brandonla@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6312 | Cell:
717-371-0609
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