Shuffling between an oven of sizzling bacon, a fresh mix of white gravy and a batch of biscuits in the oven, Sheila Jones, weekend supervisor, never lets the smile fall from her face.

It’s 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning and Jones is the only person in the kitchen at Park University’s cafeteria. She is preparing food for the crowd of hungry students.

Rows of utensils hang on the racks above her head and a nearby radio plays in the corner.

“I want to spoil as many kids as possible,” she says. “On the weekends, I get the freedom to cook what I want and I want to make [the students] happy.”

Jones began working at Park four months ago and brings her experience and expertise working in several universities in the Kansas City area.

However, cooking for students at Park University she says has been the most memorable.

“These are the nicest kids I have ever served,” she says. “They are more grateful and appreciate a lot more.”

A mother and grandmother, Jones views her role at Park from a nurturing perspective.

“By doing this, I feel like I am comforting other mothers in the world, making sure that somebody is feeding their kids,” she says.

Pulling the golden biscuits out of the oven, she turns her attention to the fresh vegetables in the steamer.

“This is for our vegetarian students,” she says. “I always make sure to accommodate those on a specific diet. We will have a lot of happy vegetarians today.”

Jones says she is very aware of Park’s international students who may require an adjusted diet and is happy to provide for them.

Overall, she says cooking for students is what she enjoys and the kitchen feels like her home away from home.

“Feeding kids and making them happy so they can focus and study is worth it,” she says.

“The worst thing is having to turn a student away at the door because we are closed. I always offer to send them off with at least a sandwich. I will never turn a student away if they are hungry. I will cook for anyone, anytime, anywhere.”