(Kevin Kadooka -- The Beacon)
By Joanna Goodwin, Staff Writer -- goodwin12@up.edu
There is one smiling face in The Bauccio Commons that every student can depend on. Last year, she swiped meal cards and now she is the queen of stocking cookies.
You can find Twila Silvia Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. With her charming smile and contagious laugh, she brightens everyone's day.
"I love it here, I have a good relationship with everyone here and I have a lot of fun with it," Silvia said.
Born on March 13, 1931 in Richland, Ore., Silvia said she had a simple childhood. She moved to Portland when she was 14 and attended Laurelhurst grade school and Washington High School.
She was married before she graduated from high school and has since had two other marriages. Silvia also has four sons and a daughter. Silvia got her GED at age 32 and stayed home while her children were growing up.
"I loved staying at home with my kids, but eventually I needed to start working again," Silvia said.
She moved onto various temporary positions and a secretorial job at the Portland Clinic when she returned to work. Fourteen years ago, where Silvia met Robin Mills.The two became good friends and Robin told her about working at the University of Portland. Less than six months later, both of them started working at The Commons and still work there today.
"I was always able to talk to all of the kids and have fun with them," Silvia said.
Now that The Commons has a different setup for getting food, her job has changed.
"Every morning and afternoon, I dish out the cookies and I am supposed to check the receipts," she laughed, "but I don't always do that."
With Silvia's grace around The Commons, everyone – students and faculty alike – has a ball with her in their presence.
"Twila is a great constant to Bon Appétit. She is always to open to talk to everybody and keeps a strong relationship with the students and Bon Appétit," General Manager of Bon Appétit Kirk Mustain said.
Silvia has even been given her own special events because of the love student has for her. For two years, "Twila's 12" was a dinner for 12 students of Silvia's choosing.
"I got to invite 12 kids for dinner and my bosses would have to serve us. I always chose people very randomly, and I tried to get an assortment of kids, but sometimes I didn't even know their names," Silvia said.
Many students would love to see "Twila's 12" return.
"Every time I see Twila, my day gets better. She possesses the perfect amount of sass and wit. I can't imagine The Commons without her," junior Margaret Betts said.
Outside The Commons, Twila can be seen shopping or going out to dinner with her friends. She enjoys working on her flower garden at her house in North Portland where she lives alone with her shih tzu, Gunther.
She has formed relationships with so many students it would be impossible to not remember her.
"She is like a grandmother away from home," Mustain said.
Nobody wants to lose her as a worker any time soon, and she is totally fine with that.
"I will work here until, I don't know, until they won't let me anymore," Silvia said, "I tell my children I will work here until I die."
