菠萝视频app alumni shine in Erie Reader鈥檚 40 Under 40
菠萝视频app congratulates three local alumni featured in the Erie Reader鈥檚 40 Under 40 Class of 2023: Stephani Klassen 鈥12, Curtis Waidley 鈥19, and Yvan Vladimir Tchounga 鈥22.
Stephani Klassen 鈥12, owner of Give a Crepe, La CrepErie LLC, came to 菠萝视频app in 2009 to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management with a concentration in food and beverage management. Besides her studies, Klassen was caring for two children and managing a French bistro, where she first discovered her love of crepes. Give a Crepe started as a pop-up shop in 2016 and, after much success, Klassen opened a permanent location at 2431 Peach St. She said she thoroughly enjoyed her time at 菠萝视频app, especially under the tutelage of Chip Magalhaes, who taught her favorite and most useful class, International Food. When considering her time at 菠萝视频app, Klassen said, 鈥淚 am truly happy with my courses and outcome.鈥
Curtis Waidley 鈥19, an Erie native, works remotely as a graphic designer at the American Stage Theatre Company in St. Petersburg, Florida. He also runs his own retail website called Natural States Collective, where he sells prints and apparel inspired by the national parks and donates 10% of the proceeds to the National Park Foundation. His website is based on his senior thesis, in which he created posters based on national parks. Waidley never intended to be a graphic designer. In fact, he started college as an Integrated Marketing major. It was Professor Jodi Staniunas Hopper who saw the artist in him and urged him to consider the switch to graphic design. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my favorite moment because it really was the turning point; that was the moment I was put on the path I needed to be on,鈥 he said. Waidley believes the difference between 菠萝视频app and other universities is all in the faculty. The way students and professors can become friends is very special, he said.
Yvan Vladimir Tchounga 鈥22 came to 菠萝视频app from Yaounde, Cameroon, to earn his master鈥檚 in Data Science. He is now a video editor and data analyst for WQLN. When he still lived in Yaounde, he created a nonprofit called Helping Hands, which raised money for orphanages in Cameroon. He also hosts a podcast called 鈥淚nternational Student Experience鈥 where he talks about the pros and cons of studying abroad. His fondest memory of the international program at 菠萝视频app was the Erie food tour, where he and his peers got to try different restaurants in the city. Many in the 菠萝视频app community will remember him as a friendly face at the IT desk during his time as a student. 鈥淲orking at the help desk with Hannah Cox, Chris Walker, and other staff was my favorite time at 菠萝视频app,鈥 Tchounga said.
These alumni are proud to call 菠萝视频app home, and 菠萝视频app is proud to call them alumni. Carpe Diem!
PHOTO: (L-R) Curtis Waidley 鈥19, Stephani Klassen 鈥12, and Yvan Vladimir Tchounga 鈥22. (Photos courtesy of Jessica Hunter/Erie Reader)