MCC Alumna Built a Bus, Hit the Road and Ate A Lot of Food

It all started with a lie – Ally Voner, Middlesex Community College alumna, laughs when she tells the story of how her mother convinced her to take classes at MCC.

Voner was ready to give up on the college experience after facing personal challenges at her previous four-year school. As motivation, her mother told her that in order to have health insurance, she would have to resume classes.

For years, Voner struggled with epilepsy. During her stressful time at her previous school, the seizures were constant, preventing her from driving. Thinking it was a matter of survival, Voner enrolled at Middlesex. Her parents drove her to classes and though she was shy and hesitant at first, she’s glad she got that push.

“I ended up really finding myself when I came here,” she said. “I’m so happy my mom did [lie] because I met a lot of people. They really meant a lot to me.”

It’s the community Middlesex provided that stands out the most to her. She took classes with the same core group of people, including an older veteran who shared life stories and wisdom. Voner credits Professor Jan Arabas for helping her realize the importance of small class sizes and the impact a professor can have on a student just by devoting time to him or her.

“She taught me to really go with my gut, both in a work environment and as an artist,” she said. “Coming here, everybody wanted to learn more. Everyone was trying to get back on their feet. It sounds cliché, but learning is power.”

Thanks to the personal connections she made, Voner wanted to continue at a four-year college that mimicked the intimacy of the small class sizes Middlesex offered. She transferred to Montserrat College of Art in 2011.

“I don’t like feeling like a number,” she said. “I like having personal interactions. I learned that I can learn so much from other people.”

It’s this notion that led Voner and her partner Chris Boudrow towards their latest endeavor – their blog Good Bites & Glass Pints. The pair underwent a laborious process to transform a school bus into a livable space they drive around to small, locally run restaurants. After their meal, if it’s Good Bites & Glass Pints worthy, they write up a positive review and create marketing materials for the restaurant to then purchase.

The couple worked in restaurants in a range of different roles for most of their professional careers, witnessing the best and the worst of the industry. While they gained an appreciation for quality service and tasty food and drinks, they also recognized just how much work maintaining a restaurant involves.

Having vast knowledge of the restaurant world also made them aware of how big restaurant groups were taking over the industry. Coupled with their mutual desire to travel, Voner and Boudrow decided to experience food and culture across the country, while helping smaller-run restaurants.

“This whole blog, with being able to build this sense of community, to be able to help foster it, experience it, we’re really hoping to let these small places thrive,” Boudrow said.

Voner and Boudrow just returned from their first big trip, up and down the eastern coastline. The adventure helped them work out the kinks. They’re back in Massachusetts in order to regroup, make some extra income and collect their cats, who will be making the next journey with them.

“You gotta dive in,” Boudrow said. “You can slowly try to work your way and stick to your comfort zone, unless you just dive in and fully immerse yourself. It’s the only way you’ll know what it’s really gonna be like.”

Building the bus itself took immense will- and manpower. In the dead of winter, Voner and Boudrow deconstructed the bus, pulling out seats and repurposing the space with a bed, small kitchen area and work space, including a station for Boudrow to complete his designs and for Voner to write the blog. There were times when they wanted to give up, the process seemed impossible and unforgiving, but Voner kept asking, “What are we gonna do with just a bus?”

As they were preparing and saving for their trip, Voner lost her job. Not many places were looking to hire someone with a looming end date in place, many even told her she was “too ambitious” to lock down. Boudrow’s employer hired her to do social media and other tasks in the restaurant – he also sent them on their trip with a yeti to act as a cooler and propane gas to cook.

Once on the road, space was tight and the driving hours long – in order to charge anything, the bus would have to be on – and when they got down south, the lack of air conditioning was difficult to take at times.

The perks of the job were plentiful and kept the pair motivated. The whole point of their journey was to meet new people, experience different cultures and cuisines, and create mutually beneficial relationships with other small business owners.

Voner believes that by meeting people, she learns a lot about herself and the world around her. “Even if you don't think it in the moment, you do,” she said.

“There’s this sense of winner-takes-all in America and we’re trying to push against that because we can all be successful together if we work together,” Boudrow said.

Some food highlights of the trip include visiting The Village Garden Food Truck Park in St. Augustine, Fla., where they ate creamy acai bowls and pizza; feasting on a family-style southern spread in Savannah, Ga., and enjoying the best barbecue they’ve ever had – as well as their favorite of all the restaurants – at Dave’s BBQ in Virginia Beach, Va.

While Boudrow said, “You don’t see in-between these pictures what’s happening. You only see people’s highlight reels,” Voner continued, “Being rejected a bunch of times is what got me here.”

It’s at Middlesex where Voner realized this didn’t have to stop her. Learning with other people – even though they were vastly different – shaped her personal and educational experiences.

“Every day, whenever I got home, I didn’t feel like such a weirdo,” she said. “When I listened to [the other students], I opened up a little more.”

This feeling continues throughout the blog and social media coverage. As they travel and talk to locals about where to eat and share experiences, Voner and Boudrow can carry out their dreams while making invaluable connections.

When pressed for her final thoughts on her MCC journey, Voner said, “Because I was able to get back on my feet, I started having less and less seizures. I was able to get a license. Which seems like nothing to most people, but I never thought I would retain a license. Middlesex is really the start of my success.”

MCC is celebrating its 50th year starting in September 2020. If you have ever taken a class at Middlesex, you are an alumni! To join us in celebrating – and to share your story – contact Amy Lee, Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, at 978-656-3028 or leea@middlesex.mass.edu. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/alumni/ for more information.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, we educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners. MCC offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – on our campuses in Bedford and Lowell, and online. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!