More than a cup of coffee; NIC barista talks connections

For NIC’s renowned barista, working at the Caffeinated Cardinal is about more than just serving coffee — it’s about building connections.

 Shing Chung has been working in the dining services at North Idaho college for 18 years.

 “It’s just such a great environment,” Chung said. “There’s a sense of community, so I stayed.”

 After moving to the U.S. from Taiwan, Chung said the job options in the area were slim and eventually applied at NIC. Chung said she didn’t know a lot about cooking before working in The Market at NIC, but her bosses took her in and taught her a lot about culinary arts.

In the last five years, Chung worked in the Caffeinated Cardinal and became a familiar face around campus.

“Shing really seems to enjoy interacting with the students at NIC, and I think that really contributes to the positive atmosphere at the café,” said Wiley Dowler, 19, an environmental science student. “As a first-year student, places like the SUB can be super intimidating, and it helps to meet people as friendly as Shing is.”

It’s not just the students who benefit from this interaction. Chung said she enjoys being in an academic atmosphere and learning more about the students. 

 “The best part is getting to know people and hearing their story and exchanging life experiences,” Chung said. “In general, just communication. Caring for people, and I think that’s very important.”

Chung also partnered with the Student Wellness and Recreation Center and volunteered to teach wellness cooking classes in the evenings pre-COVID-19 to instruct students and staff in cultural cooking.

“Coming to campus, I have a lot of fun when I go to the SUB because I
know I’m going to always see Shing and get a hi, and even if I’m having a bad day, she brightens my day,” said Angie Rios, recreational sports and fitness programs coordinator. “I just have fun with her. She gives me a safe space to be honest, she gives me good feedback to help me solve my own problems and she cooks good food.”

After about a year of working at the coffee shop, the current manager of The Market felt Chung could have a bigger role if she moved back to the kitchen, but students felt differently. One student started up a Facebook page for other students to comment on and share why they wanted to keep Chung in the coffee shop. 

Shing Chung prepares orders for students at the Caffeinated Cardinal.

Chung said once she learned about it, she asked the student to take it down because she wanted to do whatever her boss needed her to do, but in the end her boss had her stay at the coffee shop because of all the requests. 

Chung said she was struck by one comment in particular. The student commented that despite not knowing anyone, Chung made her feel welcome at NIC in her first two weeks on campus by talking to her in the coffee shop.

 “I thought, ‘wow,’ you just don’t know,” Chung said. “Sometimes it’s just a gesture, the way you approached people, a simple cup of coffee.”

Chung said that showing care for others is one of the most important things a person can do.

“If I can do a little bit, let’s say serve you a cup of coffee, talk to you a little bit, you may have a bad day that morning, and I make you laugh,” Chung said. “And that to me is like, it’s not just a coffee shop, it’s a place that you can have a little connection with other people.”