When Sophia McDougall enrolled at 鶹Ƶ in 2019 through the Running Start program, she planned to pursue a career in radiology. But a part-time job and a childhood nickname eventually steered her toward a different calling — one that smells like espresso and sounds like community.
“I chose YVC because it’s a community college and I wanted to support my community,” McDougall said.
McDougall spent her last two years of high school attending YVC, earning her associate in arts degree in 2021. During that time, she worked as a barista at Sundance Espresso in Selah, a job that unexpectedly sparked a new ambition.
Finding her mojo
When McDougall arrived at YVC, she didn’t imagine herself as a business owner.
“My parents and grandparents were all entrepreneurs, and I thought, ‘That’s a lot of work. I don’t want to do anything like that’,” McDougall said. “I just wanted to go into the medical field and work underneath somebody else.”
But the daily rhythm of coffee culture at Sundance Espresso began to change her mind.
“I started falling in love with the work and the customers and my coworkers,” McDougall said. “Opening up my own stand didn’t sound like such a bad idea anymore.”
During her final quarter, McDougall enrolled in BA 205: Small Business Management. The class required her to write a hypothetical business plan and that assignment became the foundation for her idea to launch her own coffeeshop: .
“It was inspiring,” she said. “It took this thing from ‘I don’t think I could ever achieve this’ to ‘OK, yeah, if I do it step by step, this is something I might be able to accomplish.’”
McDougall started purchasing the equipment she would need while at the same time weighing whether to open a brick-and-mortar shop or go mobile.
ABOVE: A wooden Sopho's Mojo sign hangs above the coffee shop in YVC's Sundquist Hall. TOP: Sophia McDougall poses for a photo in Sundquist Lounge.
She remembered YVC didn’t have an option for made-to-order coffee on campus and pitched the idea to college staff, which eventually led to a conversation with President Teresa Rich (at the time serving as vice president of administrative services). The timing was perfect. YVC was already looking for vendors to fill a space on the south side of campus.
“She said, ‘We would love to have a coffee stand. Would you write a business plan for me?’” McDougall said. “That class really helped me with that portion of getting started. I don’t think I would have been able to do it without it.”
McDougall also credits English Instructor and College and Career Readiness Interim Dean Julie Swedin for helping her gain the confidence to write and submit the plan.
“Growing up, I was not very good at English and writing,” she said. “But Swedin made it enjoyable. Her class helped me become the person I am today — with more confidence.”
One day, during that final quarter, she shared her budding dream with her sister and mother.
“I told them, ‘I think I might open up my own coffee shop one day,’” she recalled. “My sister was ecstatic. She said, ‘You can call it Sopho’s Mojo,’ referring to my childhood nickname of Sopho Mojo. And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s awesome.’”
The process moved quickly from there.
“I came up with the idea in September [2022] and then I talked to [YVC administration], and opened on January 3, 2023 when winter quarter classes started,” said McDougall.
Students in YVC's English Language Learning program enjoy coffee while working on their lessons in Sundquist Lounge in 2023.
Creating a welcoming space
Since then, Sopho’s Mojo and adjacent have become a hub for students. The area features seating for about 85 people, including a variety of tables and seating to accommodate individual and group study or socializing.
“It’s perfect,” McDougall said. “Students come in with textbooks or in groups to study and grab coffee. One of the maintenance guys told me, ‘I’ve never seen this area so alive.’ That makes me proud.”
Launching Sopho’s Mojo at age 19 was no easy feat.
“I put my blood and sweat into this business,” McDougall said. “It was tough, learning all the legal things that come with running a business. If I had known everything beforehand, I probably wouldn’t have done it — it would’ve been too overwhelming.”
But support from YVC faculty and the Yakima Health District made the process manageable.
“At first, I wanted to bring in a mobile trailer,” she said. “[President Rich] showed me the ropes and helped me understand what I’d need to do every month to keep the books aligned with what the college needed.”
Building momentum
Marketing was another challenge. The first quarter was slow with many courses still being taught online due to the pandemic and McDougall often found herself alone for long periods of time.
“I started putting up little posters all over campus,” McDougall said. “My friends helped me put flyers on bulletin boards.”
Today, the Sundquist Lounge is bustling. Students gather to eat, study and connect.
“At lunchtime, almost every single chair is full,” she said. “I think Sopho’s Mojo has added a lot to the community part of the community college.”
McDougall also collaborates with the Yakima Valley SunDome, offering coffee service at events, and provides catering on campus. She says her communication skills — honed at YVC — are essential.
“All the skills I obtained in my communication class, I’ve used for sure,” she said. “Especially now that I have employees and work with organizations. Communication is huge when it comes to your own business.”
McDougall makes a drink at Sopho's Mojo on YVC's Yakima Campus in 2023.
More than coffee
Open 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday during when classes are in session, Sopho’s Mojo serves coffee, tea, smoothies, mixed Red Bulls and breakfast and lunch items such as chicken bakes, bagels, soups, sandwiches, croissants, muffins and cookies. She also provides catering to campus events and pop-up service at various times throughout the year.
For McDougall, Sopho’s Mojo is more than a coffee shop — it’s a place of connection.
“My main priority was to give people a place where they can relax, have some food, drink some coffee,” she said. “Now it’s turned into a study place. It’s been really fun to watch, and I think it’s been great for the campus as a whole.”
Story by Stefanie Menard, AA-DTA ’05, communications consultant. Photos by Menard and Dustin Wunderlich, director of community relations.