Theodora Helgason ’22
Staff Writer
The Scripps campus staff is an integral part of the Scripps community. Our housekeepers ensure that our living spaces are clean and comfortable for all of us. One of Scripps’ building attendants— Yesica “Yesy” Bustos Chavez— stands out: she brightens the days of all the students that she interacts with. This interview serves to share her perspective with the wider Scripps community.
The Scripps Voice: How long have you worked with Scripps?
Yesy Bustos Chavez: I’ve been working here at our beautiful campus at Scripps College for about 18 months.
TSV: How old are you?
YBC: My age is 28 years old.
TSV: Do you think your experience working here is similar to other people’s?
YBC: Yes, it is similar in the same field as the Building Attendants but other than that, it’s different because other people do different types of work.
TSV: Have you worked at other campuses besides Scripps?
YBC: Yes, I worked as a part-time worker with the company ABM Building Value Inc on campuses such as CMC [Claremont McKenna College] from August 2016 to June 2017. Another campus was Pitzer College from July 2017 to February 2018. I started working for Scripps College in April 2018.
TSV: How was working at CMC compared to Scripps?
YBC: CMC taught me how to work with students and how to deal with different ways of attitude, different cultures, work ethic, and techniques to make my work more efficient and easier for myself. CMC, I called it my first home in my 5Cs part-time worker experience: I learned to have better communication, be respectful with the students and have a good manner with them. CMC was loveable moments and memories. Scripps College has a different atmosphere because it is only beautiful young girls with such a good open heart to my life— I love making them like home. The special thing about Scripps is they open themselves to each other and some ask me for advice and I love giving them encouraging words.
TSV: How was being a student while you were working?
YBC: It’s hard and stressful but nothing impossible because I proposed to do it and love to keep my word since education is my priority for my future. I am looking forward to becoming an ASL interpreter or working with kids with special needs. I honestly feel encouraging and positive to myself because I want to be the first generation in my family to be a college graduate. I always motivate myself with all the students because I see their own potential in education and getting the work done. I speak to myself: if they can do it, I can do it as well. I feel that I am working with professionals that I can learn from and that they will push me to take on new and challenging opportunities.
TSV: Do you like the residents?
YBC: Yes, I love my residents and getting to know different faces every year but there are some sad moments when they choose to move to another dorm or graduate. I personally wouldn’t want them to get another dorm or leave Scripps College because I call it our second home. I’ve been working in two dorms and this is the second time I’ve been managing to keep Clark and Browning Hall clean. All students are different in being considerate of their resident’s halls. They all have different ways of appreciating everything I do for them. For example, they come and tell me thank you Yesy for everything you do for us, you’re such a sweet person, we love seeing you with your sweet smile. Also, they say thank you for making our days with that positive vibe you have.
TSV: What are your favorite things to do when you’re not working?
YBC: I love to spend quality time with my mother which has been my motivation to start my education. I am really happy to call her my mother. She’s the only one in my life who encourages me towards the future through the more serious times in my life since we’ve been on a roller-coaster. My mom and I are like best friends: I share some of my problems and she gives me good advice and I do the same thing to her. My second favorite thing to do is to spend time with my boyfriend Jose S, who makes my day and time go faster being next to him and his son who I call my future son. We do a lot of activities together such as go to church together, park time, play together, cook together, hiking, and share lots of memories together. We’ve been together for almost a year but I’m grateful to him since he is my second motivation to my life since he supports me in my goals of education.
TSV: What’s your favorite place on campus?
YBC: To be honest, I don’t really have a favorite place on campus. The only pretty place I love to be is in Ellen Browning Hall. I don’t know why but I feel so peaceful there all the time as soon as I walk inside the dorm.
TSV: Is there anything else you want to share with the Scripps community?
YBC: Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to be part of the Scripps College family. We are such a great campus and a beautiful place to take beautiful pictures. Looking forward to what this expanding community has for me in my life.
10/30, Volume XXIX, Issue 3
