Brandywine student runs grocery store and family restaurant while earning degree

MEDIA, Pa. — Amanda Paez is not your typical college student. As a business major with a focus in accounting at Penn State Brandywine, she’s pursuing her degree while juggling multiple roles in her life.

Paez, who started her college career in 2011 in California, is also a Navy veteran. She and her husband, Steven, moved to the East Coast in 2024 when they bought a Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania.

“I first started my college journey after I graduated from high school in 2011. I had gotten accepted to different schools across the country, but I didn’t qualify for any kind of financial assistance, so I decided to enlist in the Navy. I was in the service for eight years,” she said.

“When I got out of the service, I went to community college, where my college journey truly began. I was about to transfer to a four-year university in California when an opportunity came up to purchase a grocery store. We operated that store for five years before moving here, and we bought another store in Sharon Hill.”

Running a business is no small feat, but Paez manages it full-time while taking courses at Brandywine.

“I chose Penn State Brandywine because of how close it was to Sharon Hill and because of the University’s willingness to work with me as a non-traditional college student and veteran,” she said. “A lot of universities cater to people coming out of high school, which is the normal trajectory, but Brandywine catered to me as an adult learner, offering night classes and courses on Zoom.”

“My college journey has been so irregular with so many ups and downs, but as I grew in my professional career, finishing school became a personal goal of mine.”

In addition to her work at Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Paez is also an accounting intern for the state of Pennsylvania and helps her mother, Christina, run her restaurant, Luna’s Mexican Grill, in Swarthmore. She supports the family restaurant behind the scenes, managing finances. Paez also has two children, who are four and 10 years old.

“I have a lot going on, which requires a lot of balance,” she said. “I have a great team behind me. My husband and my mom always support me, and I can always rely on them and my staff at the store to pick up the slack when I’m gone. I’m always very organized, so I know what I have to prioritize. I have a list for the restaurant, the store, school and my kids. ”

“Organization really helps with the balance, but honestly, so does having an outlet. I’m an avid runner, and I feel that having an outlet where I can prioritize my mental health is so important.”

When advising students who are balancing full-time work with coursework, Paez said always take initiative and take pride in what you do.

“It’s so important to take the initiative. Things aren’t going to get done if you don’t take the initiative to do something,” she said. “Also, have pride in what you do. Having pride and taking initiative will give you the motivation to keep going and complete your degree.”