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positive for a community. I was drawn specifically to the food path and Oat Shop by a passion for healthy eating and the belief one does not have to sacrifice taste to get a healthy and hearty meal. I felt that there was a lack of options in the market for healthy, quick and affordable breakfast and lunch options, and I wanted to help change this. I love oatmeal and always found it very customizable and underappreciated, and this led me to make oats the core of my concept. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? My favorite part of the job is getting to create and bring to life something that I am extremely passionate about. It brings me great joy to have the opportunity to bring a healthier and unique breakfast option to the market. WHAT ROLE DID HOLY CROSS PLAY IN YOUR PATH INTO THIS FIELD? A liberal arts background has helped me as I start a company where, throughout the development phase, my role varies greatly day to day, and I have to tap into different skills in many areas. Holy Cross helped me become a well-rounded thinker and provided me with a strong network of talented people who have helped in many regards.
ALAN DONOVAN ’13
Founder of Oat Shop
A
lan Donovan ’13 is the founder of Oat Shop, a unique oatmeal-focused café slated to open in Somerville, Massachusetts, this fall. In the meantime, Donovan serves his nutritious and delicious oatmeal bowls at a pop-up café in Brookline, Massachusetts, where his oats—with flavors ranging
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from peanut butter banana to vanilla blueberry to sweet potato and greens— have already gained a loyal following. WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS CAREER PATH? I was drawn to the entrepreneurial path by a desire to create and build something
DOES YOUR JESUIT EDUCATION INFLUENCE YOUR WORK OR APPROACH? Absolutely, a Jesuit education taught me to work collaboratively and always have strong values. I have collaborated with so many amazing and generous people who helped me get this idea off the ground. I try to keep a strong value system in all aspects of the business and I hope to build something that benefits the community, provides a needed service and is a meaningful and fair workplace. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DISH FROM OAT SHOP’S MENU? Sriracha fried egg oat bowl! It is a savory bowl cooked in vegetable broth— completely different from what people are familiar with—and I love how it changes people’s image of oatmeal just by trying it. ■ —Rebecca Smith ’99 and Kimberly Staley ’99