This week’s Who’s Who is Cassandra Brown. If you have ever ordered a pizza at North Dining Hall then you have probably met this tremendously loving woman. Cassandra Brown has worked at North Dining Hall for 14 years now. She has worked as the pizza artisan for at least 3 years.
I met Cassandra one day as I was ordering a ham and pineapple pizza, and quickly discovered that my pizza wouldn’t just be sweet from the pineapple. Interviewing her for this article has only confirmed what I had picked up from meeting her in the pizza line.
Born in South Bend, Cassandra has lived here her whole life. She has spent most of her working life in food service. Before working at Notre Dame she worked at Krogers for 7 years. Cassandra enjoyed growing up in South Bend. “I had fun going to school,” she commented. “It was nothing like those big cities, I am glad I was brought up here.”
Growing up in South Bend meant that she had a relationship with Notre Dame from the time she was young. She told me, “Years ago when I was in elementary I had tutors here – they’d bring us to games. Notre Dame has always been a big part of my life.”
When I ask her what she thinks about the students at Notre Dame, she remarks, “I love them. They are so sweet when they come to the pizza line, the compliments they give me- oh, they are just so sweet. They’re the reason I get up and come to work, and they let me know they appreciate me. I like that.”
Where did your sweetness come from Cassandra? Without missing a beat, she responded, “The way I was brought up, my mother: she just always taught me to be nice. She did not play around. She made sure we were brought up right, in a good neighborhood. And I have tried to raise my boys the same way. I made sure they went to college. I am so proud of them.”
Cassandra has two sons, Adrian, who lives in Texas, and James, who lives here in South Bend. She met her husband Derrick through mutual friends in South Bend. She reflected on their relationship, telling me, “We have the best relationship there ever will be. We are good to each other and respect each other. It is very nice. I’ve been very blessed, just blessed.”
When I asked Cassandra to tell me a bit more about herself and what she enjoys doing for fun or on the weekends, she once again pointed back to her family. “Spending time with my grandkids – I have three,” she said. “Spending time with my husband and family.”
“Anything else?” I ask her. “Shop – I love to shop.” What do you like to buy? “Everything!” She jokes, “At least that is what my husband would say if he were here. Really, though, I love to buy things for my grandkids.”
Cassandra’s advice to Notre Dame students is simple: “Stay on track, stay focused, and take the bitter with the sweet and the sweet with the bitter.” It is very clear that this is exactly how Cassandra lives, enjoying every moment, especially those times with her family and those she loves. Cassandra is so filled with love and joy and it permeates everything she does, yes even, her pizza making.
Kelly Mason loves meeting new people and long walks on the beach (if there’s a sunset). Contact her at kmason2@nd.edu.
