Campus Dining Today - NACUFS 2023 - 52

Responding to the needs
of student staff in college
food services
Dr. Tanya Rodriguez, senior human experience
research manager and cultural anthropologist
at Hormel Foods Corporation, shared numerous
trends that emerged from the digital ethnography
study she conducted among student dining
staff at the University of Texas. Since college
students are almost entirely Gen Z, understanding
their preferences is vital to effective hiring and
retention. Recognizing the pandemic's impact
on their mental health, Rodriguez highlighted
their values of work/life balance, time for play,
and freedom to express individuality in how they
dress, along with the importance of sustainability
and global flavor. However, today's students still
want staples like chicken nuggets and fries.
Using Real-Time Feedback to Improve
Satisfaction and Engagement
Ryan Greene, CASP, senior director, Georgia Tech Dining,
Georgia Institute of Technology
Erica Nehrling, MS, RDN, business development
executive, Touchwork
Connecting Food Service to the
Evolution of Wellness
Franceen Friefeld, RD., LD., P.H.Ec., CEO, board chair,
Food Service Wellness Institute™
Serving the Future: Exploring Student
Staffing in College Food Services
Erich Geiger, executive director Residential Dining &
Longhorn Hospitality, University of Texas
Dr. Tanya Rodriguez, senior human experience
research manager, cultural anthropologist,
Hormel Foods Corporation
Today's students are concerned about finances,
inflation, and food insecurity, Rodriguez said.
They are talking about recipes and hacks for a
broke budget. Erich Geiger, executive director
Residential Dining & Longhorn Hospitality,
University of Texas, reported that creating an
option for a 2-hour shift (including a free meal)
doubled their student staff. They also made
applying easy, as students were unlikely to fill
out an application. A just-walk-in, apply-as-youare
approach was successful. These students
have a strong value for certifications, like barista
or bakery, Rodriguez noted. Barista culture and
baking competitions are popular.
Training is vital to this group as well-TikTok-style
training videos are fun for students to both create
and watch. When training, teach the basics, she
said. Many come in with no work experience.
Students did not like closing and cleaning,
particularly mopping. Rodriguez said effective
managers mopped themselves. Students loved a
communication board put out for encouragement
and notes to cheer themselves on in the unit.
Factors that pushed students out of the job were:
it being too hectic, time on their feet, customer
contact, cleaning, being yelled at, their clothes
smelling, and the job not relating to their major.
One benefit was the flexibility of a studentfriendly
schedule.
Rodriguez noted if dining operations want to
conduct their own research, one way is to contact
an anthropology class and " let their project be
about your program, " she said.
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