As a first semester Baking and Pastry student at City College of San Francisco, I’m looking forward to building upon the coursework and practical skills that I’m learning from the wonderful chef instructors at my school, and taking the next step towards mastering the art of bread baking and pastry. After completing my coursework at City College of San Francisco, I hope to further expand my skillset by attending the SF Baking Institute. The Institute’s Professional Training Program represents an opportunity to learn from industry experts, refine my techniques, and gain a deeper understanding of the science and artistry behind baking. Currently, the laminated dough station in our student bakeshop has quickly become a favorite of mine. I have developed a deep respect (and slight anxiety) for the amount of precision as well as patience that is required to get the dough from the ingredients to something complex, delicate and structured, like a croissant. The process of laminating dough is long and requires patience and care, which I find meditative. This also can be applied to every day life (as it turns out). As a mother of two young children, ages two and a half and five, my ultimate goal is to create a cottage bakery that would allow me to balance raising my family with building a meaningful livelihood. I previously held careers in both finance and healthcare, but after the pandemic I have found myself instead working from home part time. It is during this time that I found my love for baking and pastry and decided to go back to school in order to further that passion. This career shift has been both humbling and welcoming. it has shown me that it’s never too late to follow your passions. I love sharing food with my neighbors and believe strongly in the ability of baked goods to bring comfort and connection to a community. I’m specifically hoping to work with our local living history museum, as they host annual tea parties and are in need of pastries. A scholarship towards the SFBI would be a transformative step in my baking journey. It would allow me to strengthen my practical skills and continue to gain confidence in myself. The Professional Training Program at the San Francisco Baking Institute represents a great opportunity to refine my skills, deepen my practical skills, and learn from a community of passionate, experienced bakers.Thank you for your time and consideration.