Chris James/Pioneer
Student Diana Riveria, along with audience participants Mary Kerbo and Magdalena Morales at a Brown Bag lunch event on Feb. 15. The event was sponsored by Student Life.

Student Life student programs leader, Diana Rivera demonstrated various cake decorating techniques at a Student Life sponsored Brown Bag lunch event held on campus Feb. 15.

“Wow. I didn’t expect this many people.”  Rivera said of the event turnout which included more than a dozen students, faculty, and staff members.

GED teacher Suzanne Moore was among them.

“We come to most of the Brown Bags,” Moore said.

“Fun, hands-on, and sugar. Makes life good.”

Mike Wormley/Pioneer
Mary Kerbo, GED student and Diana Rivera, student programs leader from the office of Student Life, criteque Kerbo’s cupcake at the cake decorating Brown Bag, Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Rivera used cupcakes to show fellow students how to use a pastry bag filled with icing to make star and flower decorations.

At the end of the hour-long event, some students got cupcakes to practice on.

“I wanted to learn how to decorate cupcakes,” said Mary Kerbo, GED student.

Rivera said Student Life asked her to host the event after she took cake decorating courses at Michael’s Arts and Crafts store last year.

She said she had taken a total of three cake decorating courses before hosting the Brown Bag.

Chris James/Pioneer
Pre-med major, Magdalena Morales helps Diana Riveria demonstrate cupcake decorating as an audience volunteer at a Brown Bag Lunch event on Feb. 15.

The courses she took consisted of four two-hour classes called Decorating Basics, Flowers and Cake Design, and Fun with Gum Paste and Fondant.

“It’s good to have something fun to try out,” Rivera said.

In addition to equipment and technique demonstrations, Rivera also shared baking advice and a recipe for buttercream icing.

“I learned quite a bit,” said Magdalena Morales, premed major.

For more information about attending or planning a Brown Bag Lunch events or for a complete schedule of upcoming Brown Bag events, contact the office of Student Life at 405-682-7523 or visit www.occc.edu/studentlife.

To contact Chris James, email pioneerphotog@occc.edu.