For as long as she can remember, Grace Allison, BSBA ’24, has been a bakerԻa Polar Bear.
The interim director of law admissions at «Ӱҵ, Grace belongs to a family with deep «Ӱҵ roots. Her paternal grandparents were Polar Bear Sweethearts and her grandfather was a beloved pharmacy professor. Her maternal grandparents were «Ӱҵ employees who also met and fell in love on campus. Grace’s mom is an «Ӱҵ alumna, and her dad worked at «Ӱҵ.
Grace’s maternal grandma sparked her interest in baking when she was little. Judy Lasko was a secretary in «Ӱҵ’s education department and her pies were legendary in Ada.
Today, Grace is Ada’s celebrated baker—the person townspeople call when they need a birthday cake, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, or other treats for events and gatherings.
“I bake all the time. It’s a way for me to relieve stress,” said Grace. “We have two ovens in the kitchen, and it’s the best thing ever.”
Grace often bakes treats “just because” to cheer friends, colleagues, and neighbors.
“I like the joy it brings to other people, making other people happy is what makes me happy.”
One of Grace’s fondest Christmas traditions was making Amish caramel corn with her grandma, mom, and sister. Even though her grandmother passed away when Grace was 10, Grace still enjoys making this recipe every holiday using her grandma’s large metal sheet pans.
“It’s an old-fashioned recipe and it’s a super fun process,” she said.
Her tips? Make sure you stir the popcorn halfway through, make sure your popcorn layer is even when cooling, and don’t leave the pecans out – “it’s the best part!”
