Arianna Hooper
Orianna Hooper of Churubusco enrolled in the Automotive program to further her dreams of restoring old cars. She currently has a project underway while in college.
“I own a 1974 Volkswagen ‘Sun Bug’ Super Beetle with my boyfriend,” Orianna said. “We both want a lot of old vehicles.”
She and Calvin Ebersol of Mooers Forks, who’s in his second year of the program, have removed the engine from the limited-edition harvest-gold-colored vehicle and are working on it together in the Auto Lab.
“I’ve always liked the old Beetles,” Orianna said. “They are cute and manageable.”
Her list of other dream vehicles includes a bug-eyed Subaru, a Porsche 928, and a 1970 Dodge square-body pickup truck. “Older cars have more personality, more character,” she said.
The freshman auto-enthusiast is employed by Della Auto Group and works for a dealership on breaks from college. She said she was considering opening an independent shop someday.
Orianna is one of three women in the Automotive program, which traditionally attracts male students, according to Associate Professor Brandon Baldwin. The faculty member suggested a new interest in the program from younger women interested in trades-related fields.
Orianna simply said, “I just like cars, man.”