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How I Bruin: Billy Day



For William "Billy" Day, the sky is the limit when it comes to pursuing his dreams. His academic journey began over two decades ago at SLCC as an aspiring zoologist. As an animal lover, he wanted to make a difference with exotic furry friends, and he achieved his dream by becoming a zookeeper at the Hogle Zoo. However, after seven years, he realized that, at times, passion does not pay the bills, and he decided to embark on another journey.

Billy's limitless courage to pursue his dreams led him to pivot from zookeeping to the travel and tourism industry, where he eventually obtained his private pilot license. Billy then became an airline steward, allowing him to serve passengers in the sky and ensure their comfortable and safe flight. After exploring and working in the travel industry for some time, Billy faced a health scare that motivated him to rethink his path.

That's when he rekindled his passion for cooking and enrolled in culinary school. Balancing classes with a full-time job as an airline steward and taking on leadership as the Culinary Club President, Billy has truly made the most of his time at SLCC. With a sprinkle of determination and clever planning, he has learned how to juggle everything and make it work.

"One of the greatest experiences I obtained as an SLCC student was the opportunity to study abroad in India. The chance to learn different cooking methods and dishes while exploring new ingredients and different depths of flavors and add new skills to my cooking repertoire has been immeasurable for me." Says Billy.

Billy's dream is to open a catering business, potentially set among the beautiful scenery of Vermont, where he envisions a place to share his culinary creations while celebrating the relationships he has built along the way. Billy's academic journey is a reminder that while life can throw curveballs, it is never too late to pursue our dreams.

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