A love of cooking and Schoolcraft’s affordability inspired Karen Owens to continue her education after attending Oakland University. Schoolcraft is one of the five top culinary arts schools in the nation.

Owens attended classes full-time and served as a work-study student in administration, the library, and at the Main Street Cafe. She also held various part-time retail and home health care jobs while she took culinary arts and computer science classes. “Cooking and computers are my two loves.”

Learning the importance of consistent study habits and the many friends she made, notably among the staff with whom she worked, are memorable for her.

She graduated in 2006 with her culinary arts degree and is currently employed at the Romulus Hilton. Future plans include pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Wayne State University.