The perfect blend: Saxbys offers students leadership experience, college credit, and a paycheck!

A few months ago, Bryant Grantham didn’t really drink coffee. His role as student CEO at Saxbys changed that.

“Being in the café so much, it’ll make you like coffee,” Bryant said with a laugh, “and just be open to trying new things. I like the café vibe.”

Bryant and Saryah Maldonado—both Catto Scholars at Community College of Philadelphia—are Saxbys student CEOs for the fall semester. As part of the Student Café Executive Officer (SCEO) program, they work full time in management positions at a Saxbys café. Saryah works at the CCP location and Bryant in the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

They both describe the opportunity as a mind-opening, skill-building experience.

“You get to basically flex your leadership skills,” Saryah said. “You see where your strengths and weaknesses are. You really get to see how you are as a leader.”

During the semester-long program, they manage various aspects of their respective cafés, including team development, behind-the-counter service, profit and loss statements, inventory orders, and more.

Bryant is a second-year student at the College, and although he doesn’t know exactly what he wants to do in the future, he has a better grasp on what kind of work culture he’ll be looking for.

“I feel like this job is something that I’d want to do,” he said, “a leadership position with a team where I can get to know the people I’m working with. I like Saxbys and I like what they’re trying to do and the togetherness of it. I just feel like they’ve opened my eyes up to the type of environment I want to work in, and I know this type of environment is something I want to be part of forever.”

As SCEOs, Bryant and Saryah will receive 12 credits toward a proficiency certificate in Business Leadership through the College along with a stipend for the time they work. They do not take any courses during the semester they are working in the café. 

“For people who want to be in the business field or want to have their own company or want to run something, I feel like this is a good opportunity prior to having to jump into the fire,” Bryant said. “This is schooling with lots of real hands-on learning.”

Saryah, who is also a second-year student at the College, had planned on earning her Business and Leadership certificate before she knew about the Saxbys SCEO program. When Alexis Mercado, the Career Connections Pathway coordinator for the College’s Octavius Catto Scholarship, told her about the opportunity, she applied.

After interviewing for the position, Saryah was hired and officially started work in July of this year. She didn’t know exactly what to expect.

“It seems like you’ll just work in the café, making lattes, making breakfast burritos,” Saryah said. “But no, there’s a lot more than that because you have to care about the people around you and that’s part of being a leader. People really matter and that affects everything. It affects the people who come in, it affects you, it affects the rest of the team.”

The experience has helped her realize that she wants to pursue a career in management. For her, it’s all about the people.

“I love talking to people,” Saryah said. “It’s a passion. That’s why I’m in business. I love interactions that mean something to people. I like changing people’s days when someone comes in getting coffee in the morning. I love that stuff.”

To become a Saxbys SCEO, applicants must be in good academic standing and typically have some customer service experience. Students can have any major, but the program is geared toward Business, Culinary Arts and Hospitality students at the College.

If you are a current Community College of Philadelphia student interested in applying for the Saxbys SCEO program, click here. Or find the full list of Saxbys openings by clicking here.