EDMOND—Monica Antonio donned an apron, grabbed a soup ladle and got right to work after the Philadelphia Church of God food services department hired her in mid-August to fill a position as an assistant chef. Along with two other full-time kitchen employees, Antonio preps food, cooks, washes dishes and supervises Herbert W. Armstrong College students during her nine-hour shift.

Antonio is now the third assistant chef working in the John Amos Field House kitchen, alongside Katherine Harmon and Justin Yocum. She said it’s a privilege to join the team, which consists of 14 total workers serving under Food Services manager John Krueger and head chef Dawn Krueger.

“I worked in the kitchen my freshman year for 10 months,” Antonio said. “It was educational. They make our jobs interesting and varied and give us opportunities for growth. They don’t just leave you in the dish pit; they teach you to cook or set up the salad bar.”

Food Services acquired Antonio’s services on August 13. But for her, the day before was an anxious one. “Mr. Locher e-mailed me at 7:30 on a Tuesday,” she recalled. “The subject was, ‘Give me a call.’ … It took me two hours to compose myself after reading the e-mail.”

Contrary to her gut feeling, Antonio wasn’t in trouble. When she finally called chief operations officer Andrew Locher, she learned that he was offering her a full-time job in the kitchen. Antonio was relieved, but decided she would take a day to think about it.

“I hesitated because it was the first time I felt content and happy with my job,” Antonio recalled.

After graduating from hwac last May, Antonio parlayed her three years of pcg editorial department graphic design experience into a job with Petra Industries, a wholesaler of home electronics in Edmond. “It was like production line graphic design, but I made good money,” she said. “I was responsible for all the company’s graphics and photos. I helped out with layout and designs.”

A discussion with a friend helped Antonio gain perspective. “I stayed in Oklahoma to be close to headquarters and hopefully get hired by the Work one day,” she said. “I shouldn’t be hesitant about this opportunity.” She accepted the job the next day, gave Petra her two weeks’ notice and began September 2.

Antonio said she noticed that her former coworkers at Petra “stretch out their work. They aren’t as driven. I was able to do a week’s work in two or three days. From my training at Armstrong College, I learned to work hard. That’s my reasonable service.”

Now Antonio has brought that work ethic back to the pcg. “Monica is an industrious individual and a quick learner with a desire to excel in whatever task given her,” Mr. Krueger said. “She is a very dependable young lady who follows directions very well. She is a great asset to the kitchen.”