Rose Basso, Quality Assurance/Operations Coordinator

University of Pittsburgh

Nominator: Joe, Beaman, Director of Dining Services

“Rose led the COVID Support Team at the University of Pittsburgh. Our COVID team delivered hot meals twice daily to all of our students both in quarantine and isolation. Within her responsibility center, Rose also coordinated the deliveries of all personal and toiletry items, as well as delivering all packages to our students in Quarantine/Isolation. Our numbers had jumped to 200 students at various times throughout the year, and Rose was able to coordinate the entire program with our dining partner Chartwells Higher Ed.”

Josh Bemis, Retail Manager

Keene State College/Chartwells Higher Ed

Keene, N.H.

Nominator: Morgan Mantell, Digital Content & Communications Manager, Chartwells Higher Ed

“Josh Bemis joined the Keene State Dining team while in high school as a member of the dish room. Over the next 20 years, his dedication and hard work has made him a pillar of the culinary team. Josh currently manages the Night Owl Café, a meal exchange location on campus. The Night Owl Café is home to the famous Keene State College Sizzlers. What is a sizzler you might ask? Sizzlers are another word for gyro. Students can choose from a variety of proteins, toppings and sauces to create their perfect combination. Sizzlers have been a part of Keene State Dining since the late 1990’s. Throughout the years, students have seen the addition of crushed up Doritos, new sauces and more.

Over this past academic year, Josh has not missed one day of work. With the decrease in associates due to COVID, Josh has picked up extra duties to assist the team and ensure daily tasks are completed without being asked. Not only does he prep, cook, set up, serve and break down the Night Owl Café each day, he ensures the entire kitchen is clean, cardboard is taken out, etc. before heading home for the day.

When Fall 2020 Sizzler sales started to decrease due to the cancellation of Fall 2020 orientation, where first year students enjoy their first Sizzler, Josh worked with marketing on a campaign to drive traffic and awareness of this campus favorite. We have seen a 60% increase in participation since Fall 2020. When approached to take part in a student run competition called ‘The NOC-OFF’, where students competed to make the next Sizzler special, Josh did not hesitate to join in on the fun. He taught students how to make a Sizzler, as this is a skill, and sat on the judging panel. Josh is an unsung hero. We are extremely fortunate to have him as a part of the Keene State Dining team.”

Mariane Bradley, Production Manager

Commons Dining Hall

Texas State University/Chartwells Higher Education

San Marcos, Texas

Nominator: Steven Granados, Marketing Director, Chartwells Higher Education

“During a historic winter storm that struck the entire state of Texas this year, the dining service team at Texas State University stayed in operation and overcame several obstacles to continue to feed Texas State University students.

Due to the harsh weather conditions, state-wide blackouts occurred that also affected the Texas State University campus in San Marcos. The dining team who lived near campus were able to brave through the storm to get to work. On the first day after the storm hit campus, only 16 managers and associates could safely travel to the campus to feed thousands of on-campus students in Commons and Harris Dining Hall.

When they arrived on campus, they found out that the severe winter weather caused several buildings to lose power or have recurring power outages. This loss of consistent electricity meant losing the use of most of the cooking equipment and all lighting in the kitchens or dining rooms, while road conditions that were dangerous prevented most of their associates from coming to work, so those on hand had to work with limited product. Regardless of these conditions, the dining team still followed through on their obligation to feed campus residents, student-athletes and university maintenance teams.

During this storm, Mariane made the 20-mile trip each day to work to ensure we were able to open Commons and serve hot meals to the thousands of students on campus who were left without electricity for days. She has to write menus on the spot based upon which equipment we could cook on without power and what limited food we had in house. In addition to those factors, Mariane did all the cooking with just one other cook assisting. Throughout the week, Mariane managed to serve not only the students on campus, but any Texas State students or staff needing a hot meal.

During this crisis, the dining team successfully served over 9,000 meals to students on- and off-campus. Coming together for the greater good, Cats can achieve the impossible!”

Chris Carpenter, Shift Lead

Chick-fil-A at Texas Woman's University/Chartwells

Denton, Texas

Nominee's Place of Work

Nominator: Jamie Henderson, ADDS, Chartwells at TWU

“During our winter storm here in Texas, salaried managers stayed on campus to ensure we were here to continue food service for everyone on campus. We extended this invitation to our hourly employees in an effort to keep everyone off the roads. One our hourly shift leads, Chris Carpenter, chose to step up and stay on campus as well. It was not a comfortable stay by any means. The power was out much of the time, the dining hall was frigid and often dark, our sleeping accommodations were far from comfortable and we were all exhausted. Chris chose to do this and work 11-12 hour shifts here in the worst conditions we've experienced to make sure we had as much help as possible. His car broke down, he had a burst pipe at his home, he barely had sufficient winter clothing (like most of us here in Texas), and he just kept going. He consistently works extra hours or different positions to fill in for us here on campus, and we can always count on him lending a helping hand. I was so impressed with his selfless loyalty and commitment to Chartwells, to our staff, and our students here that week, I would love to see him recognized for his efforts.”

Teresita Castro-Miranda, Supervisor

Harris Dining Hall

Texas State University/Chartwells Higher Education

San Marcos, Texas

Nominator: Steven Granados, Marketing Director, Chartwells Higher Education

“During a historic winter storm that struck the entire state of Texas this year, the dining service team at Texas State University stayed in operation and overcame several obstacles to continue to feed Texas State University students.

Due to the harsh weather conditions, state-wide blackouts occurred that also affected the Texas State University campus in San Marcos. The dining team who lived near campus were able to brave through the storm to get to work. On the first day after the storm hit campus, only 16 managers and associates could safely travel to the campus to feed thousands of on-campus students in Commons and Harris Dining Hall.

When they arrived on campus, they found out that the severe winter weather caused several buildings to lose power or have recurring power outages. This loss of consistent electricity meant losing the use of most of the cooking equipment and all lighting in the kitchens or dining rooms, while road conditions that were dangerous prevented most of their associates from coming to work, so those on hand had to work with limited product. Regardless of these conditions, the dining team still followed through on their obligation to feed campus residents, student-athletes and university maintenance teams.

Teresita came to stay in the dorms days before she was scheduled to work to be sure that she would be here to serve hungry students. She spent every day, all day here at Harris Dining Hall working hard to prep, serve and feed the students. Teresita walked from the dorm every day in the ice and snow to get to Harris Dining Hall to serve our students and staff. She made staffing decisions to figure out what to do as quickly as possible while being short staffed. With no power, Teresita had to think quick on her feet and decided that writing down student numbers was the best way to keep tracking of students we were feeding. With the lack of electricity, the team had to think on their feet by using lamps to see in the dining area and kitchen.

During this crisis, the dining team successfully served over 9,000 meals to students on- and off-campus. Coming together for the greater good, Cats can achieve the impossible!”

Lin Collins, Foodservice Worker

Olivet College/Chartwells Higher Ed

Olivet, Mi.

Nominator: Morgan Mantell, Digital Content & Communications Manager, Chartwells Higher Ed

“Lin has been a dedicated employee at Olivet College in Olivet, Michigan for over 20 years. She has made numerous sacrifices to help students at the college, including her own money, time and skills.

Lin goes above and beyond her job expectations. During the pandemic she hand-knit over 300 scarves for students during the freezing winter months and handed them out for free as Love, Chartwells events. In one event, she gave out 100 scarves in the first 30 minutes, prompting her to make more scarves for students. In the past she has also housed students during times of need, thrown graduation parties for them, mended and given them clothing, helped single pregnant women, and more.

Lin has had an amazing impact on her community and has not only brightened student's days in a very difficult time, but literally wrapped them in warmth and support. She spent so much of her own time hand sewing these scarves and the response from the community was amazing. It just goes to show how a small gesture can really impact someone's life. Students love Lin for her positive attitude and her willingness to go above and beyond to help those in need.”

Roberta Crist-Cole, Foodservice Lead

University of Memphis/Chartwells Higher Ed

Nominator: Morgan Mantell, Digital Content & Communications Manager, Chartwells Higher Ed

“Memphis is known for many things; some may say it’s the blues or smoked BBQ. Those who reside in Memphis know it’s the people: determined, resilient, persevering and altruistic. Ms. Roberta, who embodies each of these traits, starts her day at P.U.R.E Youth Athletic Alliance, a non-profit that provides a haven, education and foundation for underserved youth in Memphis to break generational poverty. She preps and cooks the nutritious meals needed for these young people to be successful in their schoolwork and athletics and when done, arrives at the University of Memphis campus to do the same for students enrolled in the university.

During the pandemic, she played an important role in leading the team, producing 1.3 million meals to feed the children in our local community. She continued working to provide a safe haven for children with the P.U.R.E Youth Athletic Alliance despite the pandemic.

She has repeatedly proven to be incredibly hardworking as a supervisor and has established an inclusive environment where all associates feel supported. Most of all, Ms. Roberta is determined to bring her light to those most in need within the Memphis community.”

Duke Davis, District Manager

Liberty University/Sodexo

Lynchburg, Va.

Nominator: Ryan Wheeler, Senior Marketing Manager, Sodexo

“Duke Davis, district manager of the Liberty University Sodexo account, did an amazing job during the 2020 pandemic to keep students and staff safe. When Liberty decided to remain open, Duke knew that we had an obligation and responsibility to keep everyone safe and healthy to keep the curve down. Duke acted quickly to establish strict cleaning and disinfection policies with his team, which was highly marketed in print, digital, social media, campus paper and more. He also worked with multiple charities in town to help donate over $20,000 in food to help those in our local community. Duke leads with great humility and always inspires me and the entire senior leadership team with his level-headedness and strong ability to lead and bring value to the customer.”

Atsuko Day, Assistant Supervisor

Vista Grande Dining Complex

Cal Poly Corporation

California State Polytechnic University

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

Nominator: Kaitlin Gibbons, Vista Grande General Manager

“Atsuko Day recently had surgery on her foot and since has been wearing a boot to help with the healing process, per doctor’s orders. The boot may have slowed her down, slightly, but it hasn’t kept her from showing up every day and helping to run the kitchen. She was back in the kitchen on the first day that her doctor allowed. Hired in 2019 as a cook in an allergen-free kitchen, Day was promoted earlier this year to assistant supervisor of the newly opened Balance Café, an allergen-free venue. Over the past two years she has stayed on top of all the accreditations needed to run a certified allergen-free café that ensures food and facilities that are safe for customers with dietary restrictions. Working on a university campus with 18,000 students she is a warm, smiling face who is always happy to work with customers, answer questions and ensure that they get what they need. Helping to run an allergen-free venue that serves a community full of diverse diets and nutritional restrictions, she knows the importance of a kitchen that is clean of cross-contaminations and takes pride in the spotless track record of her venue. She happily works with students and customers with dietary considerations and restrictions who come to her with questions about dishes and food options. In short, Atsuko Day is the ideal employee. She is open and accepting, knowledgeable and quick to ask questions, reliable and a joy to work with.”

Isidoro De LaTorre, Maintenance Mechanic

Claremont Graduate University/Sodexo

Claremont, Ca.

Nominator: David Trombetta, Senior Marketing Manager, Sodexo

“Over the past year, we had to make tough decisions and furlough 50% of our labor here at CGU. Isidoro De La Torre was one of those I had to send home back in April of 2020. When times got tough here at the unit, and my two remaining maintenance mechanics went out on LOA due to COVID-19, Isidoro answered the call to ‘fill in’ for the time being. He came back with a positive, and eager attitude, eventually taking on the task of a full repair on a patio for a designed outdoor space for the college. Without complaint, knowing that his time was limited, he worked towards the goal of completing the repairs while performing his regular Assigned PM’s, Proactive and Reactive work orders. Isidoro has been with Sodexo for over eight years, first with Whittier College, then coming with us as we opened the unit in 2016. In his years here, he has been a vital asset to the maintenance team, always willing to go above and beyond for the better of the organization. His contributions have brought us in good standing with our client as we look to solidify our first contract extension this year. His success in the patio cover repair directly impacts the client’s gratitude for our ongoing service here at CGU.”

Jirair Derkrikorian, Operations Director

University of Massachusetts Lowell/Aramark

Nominator: Rachel DiGregorio, Marketing Manager, Aramark

“On behalf of the entire University Dining team at UMass Lowell, I'm proud to nominate our operations director, Jirair Derkrikorian, as a Food Service Hero! Especially in this past year, Jirair's dedication to the guest experience, operational safety and employee wellbeing has SHOWN! Due to COVID, our campus, like many others, was scaled down to limited operations, going from serving 10,000 meals per day to only about 1,000 per day. Where some could see this as a chance to slow down and enjoy a slower pace, Jirair was committed to making the dining experience extra special for the students living on campus. From introducing a to-go program to creating an extensive list of special events, student satisfaction has never been higher! Our dining program has received accolades from students, parents and administrators alike, thanking us for providing students activities and safe, communal experiences like the Executive Chef Series, Street Eats Outdoor Dining and numerous pop-up specials throughout the week.

Jirair’s motivation to create a safe, welcoming environment extends beyond just the student experience. He has built a dining team that is engaged and equally as committed to safety, teamwork and guest service as he is. From ensuring all team members are regularly tested for COVID (a free service provided across the campus) to sanitizing, masks and social distancing, Jirair has greatly enhanced a safety-culture on campus that is unparalleled. I’ve worked on campus for over ten years, and though we’ve always had a great team on the front lines, the enthusiasm Jirair has drawn from our current team in such unprecedented circumstances is remarkable.”

Caitlin Donzell, Chef de Cuisine

Westfield State University

Westfield, Ma.

Nominator: William Connor, Director of Dining Programs

“Catie has worked tirelessly this entire academic year to make sure that all students who were in quarantine or isolation received great food, along with surprises that delighted our students who were going through some challenging times being sick and away from family and friends. Catie also managed the entire food production and packaging process of application-based mobile custom meal ordering. At the peak, Catie was producing over 300 meals a day to keep the community and her fellow staff members safe! Catie epitomizes the Westfield State Dining program's mission to being student centric and never quitting!”

James (Jamie) Feindt, Purchasing Manager

George Mason University/Sodexo

Fairfax, Va.

Nominator: Bernadette Thomas, Controller, Sodexo

“This is actually a nomination for a manager who worked in foodservice for over forty years and passed away in January 2021. James (Jamie) Feindt worked for Sodexo as the purchasing manager and was part of the larger team responsible for providing food services to the students, faculty, staff and visitors of George Mason University. On campus, Jamie also held the titles of Director of Resident Dining and Director of Catering over many years. I worked with Jamie, not only at George Mason University but with Eurest Dining at the Office of Personal Management in Washington, D.C. where he was the general manager. Jamie was very passionate about serving people everywhere he worked. He was one of the kindest souls I knew, his chuckle was infectious, and his smile was pure was sunshine. Jamie met his wife Jeanie Feindt, who also works at the university as a retail manager. When Jamie was not at work, he was enjoying time with his many grandchildren from the four children he raised as a single parent or he was fishing and camping with his coworkers. May Jamie always be remembered for everything he has given of himself to be of service for so many people.”

Al Ferrone, Senior Food & Beverage Director

UCLA

Los Angeles

Nominator: Richard Martin, Senior Executive Chef

“Al has kept the team together on a daily basis during these trying times. He has led by example and has looked for new avenues on a daily basis to see how UCLA can support, not only the university, but our community.

Al has driven the team to make a difference in the community, all the while making sure that our team has been taken care of.”

Maria Gasbarro, Catering Administrator

University of Findlay/Sodexo

Findlay, Ohio

Nominator: David Trombetta, Senior Marketing Manager, Sodexo

“Maria has been with the unit for 24 years. She has done just about every job at the unit. Maria took on a new position about 1.5 years ago as the catering admin and has done an incredible job. She goes above and beyond to help the students plan events and gives great suggestions. Once COVID hit, catering was almost non-existent but Maria offered to jump in and work any area that was needed. Maria has been the cashier, dining attendant, condiment attendant, line server, prep cook and the list goes on. She not only does this with a smile but talks to every student that she encounters. Oh, and when she is done working in the dining hall, she goes over to the catering office and does her admin work!”

Willie George, Dock Master/Operations Assistant

Tulane University/Sodexo

New Orleans

Nominator: Alex Clancy, Marketing Coordinator, Sodexo

“Willie George has been an invaluable member of the Tulane Dining team for over five years. His tireless work ethic is admirable and an inspiration to us all. If anyone needs a seemingly impossible task done, their first question is “Where’s Wille?” Willie’s can-do attitude and infectious laugh makes all of our jobs easier. During the multiple (5+) hurricane scares we got in southern Louisiana, Willie was the ringleader of packing all of the hurricane supplies that were given to our students. He was also tasked with driving over 500 shelter-in-place meals to one of our sister schools in Jackson, Mississippi (a four-hour drive) and back over one weekend during their winter storm. Whether it’s making sure our deliveries are on time and accurate or putting out tents at 6:00 a.m. for our farmers market, Willie is an integral part of Tulane Dining and we wouldn’t be the same without him.”

Deidra Goodell, Director of Catering

University of Rochester/Harvest Table Culinary Group

Rochester, N.Y.

Nominator: Cam Schauf, Director of Campus Dining Services & Auxiliary Operations

“The University of Rochester has continued to have students on campus throughout the pandemic. I believe that my entire dining team has been heroic, continuing to provide delicious food while following all health guidelines and dealing with increased employee absenteeism. Amid all of this, our director of catering, Deidra Goodell, has stood out. While catering, as we knew it, disappeared in March of 2020, Deidra has worked closely with Student Activities to find fun and inventive ways to provide food for student events, both in person and virtual. While providing these services has required a lot of planning and has been an important part of improving the student experience, what really sets Deidra apart is the role she plays in providing food for students in quarantine and isolation. Deidra designed and oversees the university’s plan for feeding students in quarantine/isolation. After a student is assigned to quarantine/isolation housing, an email is sent to them explaining the process for ordering food. Deidra follows up with a text to the student, making sure that they received the email and asking if they have any questions. Every day (often seven days a week) Deidra assembles and delivers the food orders to our students. Since the students have her phone number, she is often answering texts that include many questions about topics that go well beyond food. If Deidra doesn’t know that answer, she reaches out to other members of the university to make sure that the students have what they need. She has helped students with Wi-Fi connections, getting extra blankets and contacting various university administrators. In a process that can leave the individuals feeling nervous and lonely, Deidra constantly provides that human touch, consistently going above and beyond for our students.”

Michi Gunawan, Food Unit Lead

San Jose State University/Chartwells Higher Ed

San Jose, Ca.

Nominator: Morgan Mantell, Digital Content & Communications Manager, Chartwells Higher Ed

“As a Food Unit Lead, Michi follows all the CHE standards, knows the menu and can manage her team well. She has the amazing ability to remember the names of each customer and be friendly and kind to them from behind her face mask. I am surprised how she always recognizes the customers with masks on and addresses them by name. I have witnessed so many customers who would just stop by to say hello to Michi and be glad and happy to see her at the counter. Michi is a thorough professional and provides excellent customer service.

I am nominating Michi because of the service and care she shows towards the customers, her amazing work ethics, her willingness to learn and take more responsibilities and her cheerful and smiling nature! She promotes the Chartwells culture and spirit through her service!

I would say Michi's unique ability to memorize customer names is very impressive! Her efforts always set an example for other team members to be cordial, kind and provide great service to our client. A lot of the customers will just come to the counter to meet Michi and chat with her. She has this ability to build a lasting relationship and rapport with her clients and her infectious smile and nature brings more customers to her counter.”

Lindsay Haas, Culinary & Nutrition Specialist Senior, RD

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Mi.

Nominator: Kathryn Whiteside, Director of Systems, University of Michigan Dining

“During the pandemic Lindsay Haas has provided on-the-mark support to help all of Michigan Dining with managing procurement challenges with the supply chain. Additionally, she continued to support all students with special diet and food allergies, advocating for them throughout quick changes to service and menu changes across our campus. Early on we were called on to ramp up a menu and provide supply chain support for a campus field hospital. Linday took on the planning for this on top of her other regular duties.”

Michelle Hamersma, Operations Manager

Bethel University/Sodexo

Arden Hills, Mn.

Nominator: Dave Trombetta, Senior Marketing Manager, Sodexo

“My wife and I brought our daughter Greta to her Admissions Interview at Bethel University, Arden Hills, MN on January 12, 2021. Afterward, we stopped at the Dining Center on campus for an early dinner. The Dining Center couldn't accept cash because of COVID (totally understandable), and they weren't able to accept credit or debit card payments, as they had a technological issue with the card readers at the time (again, totally understandable.) The cashier then asked if we had received any dining tokens from Admissions, but we had not. We turned around and started donning our jackets to leave. Michele Hamersma, the Sodexo operations manager, came out of seemingly nowhere and asked us what had happened. We relayed the above information to her, and she volunteered to pay for our dinners with her University ID card. She then walked us to the cashier, swiped her card, and explained what food stations were serving what entrees. That totally made our evening! It also reinforced what a caring and loving atmosphere Bethel University imparts, even to prospective students. Michele, thank you again for buying our dinners—it was truly appreciated!”

Adrian Harris, Housekeeper

University of Mississippi/Sodexo

Oxford, Ms.

Nominator: David Trombetta, Senior Marketing manager, Sodexo

“Adrian has worked with Sodexo for five years. During this time, he has filled many roles and has been a valued employee for the unit. This past semester he filled the role of cleaning Brown, the isolation building, daily. This has required him to work in full PPE (think hospitals) due to having positive COVID cases in the building. Adrian was also a huge asset during the snow of '21.

To make sure we were taking care of students, he willingly moved into an apartment on campus and was here 24/7 to meet their needs. This ranged from pulling trash and cleaning restrooms to delivering supplies and cleaning messes in 14 buildings.

Just recently Adrian was honored by Resident Life and Student Housing as the Housing Support Employee of the Year. This is an award that is chosen by the student body to recognize the employee they feel made that best contribution to their time on campus Normally this award goes to a university employee. For Adrian to receive this honor is really something special and a testament to what an outstanding employee he is in embodying Sodexo’s values and service spirit. Congratulations Adrian on a job very well done!”

Brandon Hendricks, Associate Director of Dining Services

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Va.

Nominator: Victoria Boatwright, Marketing & Communications Manager

“For the last year, more than 1,000 Virginia Tech students have stayed in COVID-19 housing in two residence halls on the Blacksburg campus.

Throughout that time, Brandon Hendricks, associate director of Dining Services, has been a leader in a program that has delivered more than 32,000 meals to those students in isolation and quarantine residence halls.

Three times each day, delivery teams from four dining centers deliver meals to those students. Rather than send box lunches, the department made it a priority to serve quality meals that would hopefully provide comfort to our customers during a stressful time. Students receive a gift bag after checking in and special meals or desserts for holidays and birthdays.

When staff was unavailable, Brandan made deliveries himself, often coordinating with kitchen staff to get students’ special requests that weren’t on the menu. If a student in isolation or quarantine housing didn’t have money to add to their dining plan, he reached out to the Dean of Students office to get money from an emergency fund set-up to help undergraduates in need. When cases peaked earlier this year, Brandon worked for two months without taking a day off.

‘Throughout this last year, we’ve had to change our service model, sometimes on a day to day basis, and Brandon handled it with grace,’ said Katey Carr, a co-worker and assistant manager at Dining Services. ‘He’s really inspired me by his commitment to our students and his enthusiasm has trickled down to our entire staff.’”

Melinda Hunter, Starbucks Barista

University of the Sciences/Sodexo

Philadelphia

Nominator: Todd Young, General Manager, Sodexo

“This extraordinary employee has done everything in her power to help make the students’ dining experience at University of Sciences better during the COVID-19 pandemic. As with most colleges and universities, the city/state COVID protocols have reduced or even taken away the traditional college experience. This employee has gone out of her way to be the shining light that the students can count on when they come for their daily beverage at Starbucks. She has made it a point to not only remember their names and standard drink orders but also remembers personal details about past conversations that she can talk to them about along with simply asking how their day is going. The students know her by name and call her out when they see her. She has been recognized by the students as well as co-workers as a leader during these tough times. She worked amongst her peers to make the best out of the plexiglass barriers that separates the employees from students by allowing the student body to write inspirational messages on the glass for all to read. There is not one big thing that this employee has done to make the daily experience of our students better but rather the many little things that she does every day to make that day special for them.”

Willie Joyner, Customer Service Ambassador

Catholic University of America/Chartwells Higher Ed

Washington DC

Nominator: Morgan Mantell Kearney, Digital Content & Communications Manager, Chartwells Higher Ed

“Willie Joyner, affectionately known by all on campus as Miss Willie, is the customer service ambassador for the Catholic University of America’s resident dining program, called the Eatery. She has been on the Catholic Dining Team for 47 years. Her primary role has most recently been to properly address student concerns as they visit the dining venue, be proactive with solving problems and ensure the students receive a high-level experience as they navigate the dining space. When Miss Willie returned to work this fall semester, her additional responsibilities included making sure the students feel safe in the dining space. Miss Willie was tasked with completing our high touch COVID cleaning list every 30 minutes, directing students to always use hand sanitizer prior to entering the dining space, ensuring all customers and associates have a mask on properly and making sure proper social distancing is happening at all times.

Miss Willie’s above and beyond hospitality spirit gives the students the confidence that we are taking care of them and that we do generally care about their well-being as they visit our dining hall during COVID. Most of our customers this school year have been freshman, who at times had a sense of uncertainty being away from home during COVID. Miss Willie’s gentle nature and outgoing personality has done a remarkable job of allowing students to feel welcomed into our dining space and for them to have a sense of normalcy during their dining experience.

Students return to the Eatery not only for the great food, but also for the chance to briefly connect with Miss Willie when they enter the Eatery. It is no surprise that almost every student who walks into the space greets Miss Willie by name and she warmly calls them all her “babies.” During our spring semester focus group, when we surveyed students and faculty about dining on campus, the Eatery program was highly considered a safe spot to dine at on campus because of her efforts and Miss Willie was called out by name, more than any other employee, as being a tremendously important and appreciated part of the dining team. It is also very common to see alumni return to Catholic’s campus to visit Miss Willie and she remembers them all!”

Jill Kellett, Cook I

Cameron University/Sodexo

Lawton, Ok.

Nominator: Joseph Worrell, General Manager, Sodexo

“Jill is the Queen of Simply To-go and Sub Connection here on the CU Campus. The students always brag about how she pays attention to the details when making their sandwiches. Many students will intentionally take their lunch during her shift so she can add the "love" to their bite to eat. Jill takes pride in her Simply To-go production and always prepares their favorites with the extra attention to freshness. She has successfully conquered the position of barista this semester in our WPS Starbucks/Freshens Cafe and truly makes the drinks with enough passion to fill their cups. Jill has done a phenomenal job in every role she has taken on and every student she encounters always has a reason to brag.”

Beverly Kellman, Executive Chef

Prairie View A&M University/Sodexo

Prairie View, Texas

Nominator: Wesley Turnage, Regional Executive Chef, Sodexo

“She goes above and beyond every day to exceed student and community expectations. Beverly has grown from line associate and worked through many adversities, as for example the ice-pocalypse in Texas, when she ensured the community was fed during the storm when power and other utilities were out!!”

Elwin King, PM supervisor

University of Arkansas Little Rock/Sodexo

Nominator: Daniel Howley, General Manager, Sodexo

“Elwin is a supervisor who has made an impact on the freshman students at University of Arkansas Little Rock.”

Mike Kuka, Utility Worker

Minnesota State University Moorhead/Sodexo

Nominator: David Trombetta, Senior Marketing manager, Sodexo

“Mike has worked for us since 2011. In this time, he has become a great asset for our team. Mike is an amazing all-around employee. He can cook and serve, he does grill and prep work, and he manages our dish room. Mike is an all-star in our dish room. He trains our new student staff. This is not an easy duty. Somehow, Mike can take a difficult, hot, dirty job and make it fun for the employees. Our students really enjoy working with Mike. One of Mike’s biggest strengths is his attitude. He always has a smile on his face and is ready to get the job done. He raises up the mood of the whole team. If we have a busy or stressful time, we can count on Mike. Homecoming week, student orientation, caterings—Mike has learned every area in our dining hall and excels in multitasking. He is good at keeping our student staff productive and having fun. He can seamlessly float from one place to another when he is needed. It is amazing. This year we had college start up during a pandemic. We were extremely short handed. Mike has been indispensable. His excellent work ethic and flexibility has been critical to our ability to get open and stay open this year. Mike’s happiness improves morale. There is nothing better than having a talk with Mike when you are feeling tired and overwhelmed. His enthusiasm is infectious. Mike is a delightful person to be around and his coworkers appreciate his dependability and his willingness to teach and learn. We are very lucky to have him on our team.”

Troy Kukow, Shift Supervisor

Colorado Mesa University/Sodexo

Grand Junction, Co.

Nominator: Dave Trombetta, Senior Marketing Manager, Sodexo

“Troy has been with the company for a number of years in many different roles. He currently holds the role as the morning shift supervisor for the dining hall at CMU. He holds high expectations for his team and helps them achieve these expectations. He leads his team with examples of hard work and great customer service. He will stop what he is doing to help out visitors in the Caf and make sure they are finding everything they need. He takes the time to stop and greet students who walk up to a station he is working at. Where Troy stands out most with his customer service is with the athletes and the coaches. He enjoys attending the home games for a variety of sports. During the week he checks in with the student athletes to see how they are feeling about their seasons. He will talk with the coaches to find out their thoughts and feelings on the season. During the off season he checks to see how training is coming along. He generally cares about the students and helps to make their college experience a better one with the conversations he holds with them as they dine at the Caf. He takes his passions for sports and uses it as a way to connect with the students and even fellow Sodexo employees. Thank you, Troy, for your hard work and outstanding customer service.”

Meihong Liu, Restaurant Operator

Long's Kitchen

Irvine, Ca.

Nominator: Cervantes Lee, Restaurant Education Research

“Ms. Meihong Liu is a proprietary owner-operator of Long’s Kitchen, a Hunan Chinese cuisine restaurant established in 2015 at Irvine, California. During COVID, the dining area of her restaurant had been shut down over four times by the regulators of Orange County, California. Ms. Liu continues to deliver over 1,000 free lunch boxes to a few Orange County-owned elder care facilities and healthcare staff in public schools. Her idea is simple: ‘I can’t plan the re-opening of dining area and I already bought all the food ingredients. Since I am an immigrant restaurateur in the community and can survive at $1,000 daily sales (a drop from $7,000-$9,000 per day pre-COVID), there would be more people in need of food that I could cook for and help as much as I could in Orange County.’ Ms. Liu doesn’t speak English, but her heart is as bright as every foodservice staff in our industry.”

Alisa Lollar, Marketing Intern

Henderson State University/Sodexo

Arkadelphia, Ar.

Nominator: Mike Vickers, General Manager, Sodexo

“Alisa has championed the addressing of food insecurities on our campus by developing ‘Sustainability for Student Success.’ this program discreetly ensures students don't go hungry on our campus. She has tirelessly set up the development, delivery and implementation of this program over the last two years. The program gathers quality unused food after meal periods, packages it up for individuals, then discreetly delivers to the needy students on campus.

She has a true passion for serving others and has volunteered hundreds of hours over the two years I've known her. This is only one of many things she does to serve and help those who need it the most.”

Ralph Macrina, Executive Chef

Bob Jones University/Aramark

Greenville, S.C.

Nominator: Brent Wustman, General Manager, Aramark

“Chef Ralph has gone above and beyond for the past year since COVID has impacted our school. Ralph has a passion to make our guest happy that drives him to go above and beyond every day, every shift. He voluntarily comes in early, leaves late and comes in on his days off to not just get the job done, but to go above and beyond expectations. He will always make sure the team is set up for success and that the experience the students receive is second to none. When service converted to takeout only last summer, Chef bought two charcoal grills and grilled out each week to create a great experience. He served meals to our campus retiree populations out of the back of a catering truck. He has created experiences for students despite restrictions that enrich and nourish lives. Chef Ralph cooked an entire steer overnight, keeping the fires stoked and cooked perfectly for lunch the next day. He has created events focused around food like a Bayou bash with alligator po' boys, whole smoked hogs, low country boil and other classics. Chef takes any idea and makes it come true on the plate. He steps up each and every day.

During this past year, Ralph has taken on a more leadership position as our assistant GM was promoted and he took over oversight of the residential operations. He also had to become our catering chef as our chef moved just prior to COVID. He took on each challenge and never complained, just showed up day in day out to create a great experience for all of our guests.

Chef Ralph is the very foundation of the team.

There is no doubt that Chef Ralph is the most dedicated, hard-working and service-focused person I have ever met. His passion to serve shines above all and is only outmatched by his commitment.”

Patrick McElroy, Director of Operations/Executive Chef

Washington University in St. Louis/Bon Appetit Management Co.

Nominator: Brittni Walters, Marketing Manager, Bon Appetit Management Co.

“Single father of three who through rain, shine, snowstorm and pandemic dedicates the vast majority of his time to this operation to ensure the Washington University Community always gets their needs met first and as safely as possible.”

Daphne Mendez, Manager

Columbia University

New York

Nominator: Kristin Stec, Interim Marketing Coordinator

“Daphne Mendez was instrumental in leading the Columbia Dining team through Columbia University’s Campus Services Express initiative, a partnership among several departments on campus designed to bring students necessary services when in quarantine during the pandemic. With the help of Chef Mike DeMartino, Event Management General Manager David Martin, Manager of Catering Operations Erin Medina and Assistant Manager of Catering Operations Koba Sebiskveradze, Daphne and the CS Express team cooked, packed and delivered more than 47,800 meals from scratch to residence halls during the fall and spring terms. The team also delivered 2,530 Welcome Boxes to each student room, each of which include mealtime essentials such as plates, disposable flatware, napkins, condiments and a variety of snacks. Daphne and her colleagues have worked onsite and around the clock since the start of the pandemic to ensure Columbia's undergraduate residential students were well fed and cared for during this challenging time.”

Yoonki Na, HR Manager

University of Texas at Dallas & Arlington/Chartwells Higher Education

Nominator: Kyle Claiborne, Asst. Director of Dining Services, Chartwells Higher Education

“Foodservice could not have gone through COVID-19 without our HR managers. Yoonki not only helped out associates finding new jobs when their position was eliminated but gathered resources around the community for free health care and continued to support associates after their time with Chartwells. He makes sure everyone felt comfortable enough to come to work every day but also was checking up on the associates to see that they were doing well outside of work as well. He spent a lot his outside hours supporting associates during open enrollment for benefits to explain all the changes and what that means to their lives. Yoonki truly cares for the associates and the business to balance multiple sites to maintain the company's vision of people first.”

Mary Nicholaou, Food Service Worker

Rider University/Gourmet Dining

Lawrence Township, N.J.

Nominator: Peter Ehlin, District Manager, Gourmet Dining

“Mary Nicholaou volunteered her time while attending Rider University at our on-campus Meal on Wheels distribution area. In collaboration with the university, Meals on Wheels and Gourmet Dining, we provide opportunities for students, staff and administration to volunteer to prep or package meals for over 300 participants daily. After graduating in 2019 with a psychological degree, Mary decided to stay on and continue to work in the Meals on Wheels department. She has been an anchor in this role, working diligently throughout COVID to ensure that our operations would not skip a beat. Mary is truly engaged in her role, which requires following certain dietary request are adhered to for each meal participant. She in an ambassador of the program, which changes each day. You find Mary instructing different volunteers each day on our program while maintaining quality and ensuring timely delivery of the meals to the driver volunteers. Her ability to lead and engage our volunteers from all levels of the organization is what makes her special.”

Jesus (Miguel) Ontiveros, Child Development Center Supervisor

Wichita State University/Chartwells Higher Ed

Wichita, Ks.

Nominator: Morgan Mantell, Digital Content and Communications Manager, Chartwells Higher Ed

“Miguel joined our team just prior to the pandemic beginning in Wichita in early 2020 as a Child Development Center (CDC) cook. His main focuses then were cooking and serving the children and staff at the CDC. Since his promotion to supervisor, his duties include food safety compliance, managing and leading the team, cleanliness management, inventory counts, and time and temperature logs.

Miguel has flourished into the dedicated and caring provider for our Child Development Center’s food operations. Since he has joined the team, he has been truly dedicated to following the CACFP guidelines as well as extensive allergy accommodations to assist with. In addition to being the expert in this area, his passion and personality shine through while working with the 115 children. The center adores his ability to assist them and willingness to help, while his colleagues appreciate his dedication to being a valuable team player. On top of his day-to-day performance, during the height of the pandemic, Miguel excelled even more. Taking on the task of making COVD safe meals and juggling the orders as we were reduced in staffing were steps he took to better support the business and children. We would not have been able to succeed without his dedication and care for everyone!

‘Not only has Miguel excelled in his role as the CDC cook in the short time he has been with us, but his drive and commitment to excellent has resulted in a promotion. Miguel now serves as a supervisor, continuing to make a positive impact across more of our team and elevating our presence in our residential dining hall,’ says Jamie Kraisinger, director of operations for Wichita State University ‘Miguel is an integral part of the CDC! He always has a smile and a hello for all the staff and the kids,’ adds CDC Director Jillian Hoefer. ‘He communicates well with everyone and is always willing to lift a helping hand. We appreciate Miguel here very much and the kids love seeing him!’"

Lynn Rainville, Food Service Worker FSW

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth/Chartwells Higher Ed

Nominator: Kirby Roberts, Marketing and Catering Director, Chartwells Higher Ed

“We are nominating Lynn Rainville, our onsite food service worker and onsite Freight Farmer as a Foodservice Hero. She is an invaluable member of the UMass Dartmouth Dining Services team. She goes above and beyond the call of her stated duties to serve our customers and the local community and help our fellow workers. Lynn is a Master Gardener and joined our team on December 4th, 2018.

Lynn Rainville farms in our hydroponic Leafy Green Machine. This state-of-the-art, environmental, recycled shipping container is our on-campus Freight Farm. Under Lynn's caring green thumb management, she seeds and harvests over 5,000 heads of lettuce per semester. We are able to use this fresh produce year-round in our residential dining hall, retail locations on campus and catering events.

When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, UMass Dartmouth was on spring break and the university shut down, moving to all virtual learning. Lynn realized that with the students not returning to campus for the spring semester, she'd be left with an abundant harvest. She immediately reached out to Sharing the Harvest, a nonprofit, volunteer-driven community farm that was established as a grassroots response to hunger in the community.

The Result: From March to September 2020 and winter break 2020, UMass Dartmouth Dining Services was able to donate more than 800 heads of lettuce, 30 lbs. of kale and other leafy greens, including Swiss chard, turnips and green star lettuce, to Sharing the Harvest Community Farm at the Dartmouth YMCA. With Lynn's quick thinking, she was able to help alleviate hunger in the New Bedford and Fall River area, both among the 10 most in-need municipalities with some of the highest concentrations of hunger in the state of Massachusetts.

Lynn Rainville, is a Foodservice Hero not just on-campus at UMass Dartmouth but in the surrounding community.”

Vernita Pickett, Supervisor

Iberville Dining Hall

Northwestern State University/Sodexo

Natchitoches, La.

Nominator: Shaquille Broussard, General Manager, Sodexo

“She is the heart and soul of our resident dining program. She helps wherever she is needed. There is nothing too big or too small for her. Everyone on campus knows Vernita is the person who will make sure it gets done. The students love her as a mom. The workers respect her and the NSU leadership doesn’t know what they would do without her. Again, she is the heart and soul of not just the dining hall but the whole campus.”

Anthony Renda, Executive Chef

Niagara University and Kaleida Health/Metz Culinary Management

Lewiston, N.Y.

Nominator: Maureen Metz, EVP, Metz Culinary Management

“Anthony is a key part of our operations at Niagara University as well as the Higher Ed division, often lending his hand to projects and initiatives. During COVID, Niagara went to a virtual format and closed the campus. Anthony could have easily taken advantage of unemployment and furloughs, but instead decided to help another struggling division, HealthCare. Anthony immediately went up to Kaleida Health to help with a system that was plagued with COVID cases and overflowing hospitals. Anthony's dedication and continued hospitality for the guests was inspiring. He helped train new team members that were coming on and streamlined some systems. He had some experience with healthcare, but he was able to transition smoothly and everyone there including the VP were amazed by his efforts, dedication and willingness to learn new things and quickly. Anthony is our hero!”

Linda Robinson, Cashier

Seattle University/Chartwells Higher Ed

Nominator: Morgan Mantell, Digital Content & Communications Manager, Chartwells Higher Ed

“Linda has been an associate at Seattle University since 1965, when she joined the food service team with Saga. During this time, she was responsible for preparing 250 lunch bags every morning for students, then jumping on the serving line to help out her fellow coworkers during the busy lunch rush. Since her time with Saga, Linda has worked through several foodservice partner changes at Seattle U., including Marriott and Bon Appetit, before recently transitioning to our Chartwells team in 2018.

Linda most enjoys her role as a cashier, as it allows her to make a deep personal connection each year with our new students. It is astounding to observe how close our first and second year students become quite literally and each quarter inevitably ends with hugs, tears, thoughtful gifts and sincere messages of appreciation for Linda. The faculty and staff at the university have also grown extremely fond of her and often stop by just to say hello. Linda's nurturing spirit and contagious positivity have been especially appreciated over the past year during the isolating circumstances of the current coronavirus pandemic.

During her 56-year food service tenure, Linda has become an icon at Seattle University, touching the lives of thousands of students and coworkers alike. We genuinely value the gifts that she gives each day to those around her and sincerely appreciate her unwavering dedication to making Seattle U. a better place to work and live.”

Marisol Rodriguez-Silva, Catering Director

Texas State University/Chartwells Higher Education

San Marcos, Texas

Nominator: Steven Granados, Marketing Director, Chartwells Higher Education

“During a historic winter storm that struck the entire state of Texas this year, the dining service team at Texas State University stayed in operation and overcame several obstacles to continue to feed Texas State University students.

Due to the harsh weather conditions, state-wide blackouts occurred that also affected the Texas State University campus in San Marcos. The dining team who lived near campus were able to brave through the storm to get to work. On the first day after the storm hit campus, only 16 managers and associates could safely travel to the campus to feed thousands of on-campus students in Commons and Harris Dining Hall.

When they arrived on campus, they found out that the severe winter weather caused several buildings to lose power or have recurring power outages. This loss of consistent electricity meant losing the use of most of the cooking equipment and all lighting in the kitchens or dining rooms, while road conditions that were dangerous prevented most of their associates from coming to work, so those on hand had to work with limited product. Regardless of these conditions, the dining team still followed through on their obligation to feed campus residents, student-athletes and university maintenance teams.

During this storm, Marisol helped transport products between buildings. When needed she assisted Harris and Commons Dining Hall operations through power and water outages throughout the week. She also delivered meals to quarantine and isolation students on foot and during power outages within the buildings since the roads were too dangerous for vehicles. When the university provided warming buses to keep students warm while the power was out in their apartments and dorms, Marisol distributed water and snacks to keep them hydrated and fed.

The storm caused several unforeseen issues for her dining operation. It was difficult to drive on campus, so she had to walk a lot of deliveries and use carts to go through the snow and ice. The dorms were also out of power and I delivered to the top floor of the buildings using the stairways without light and heat. Power outages at the dining halls made it difficult to cook, serve and wash dishes.

During this crisis, the dining team successfully served over 9,000 meals to students on and off-campus. Coming together for the greater good, Cats can achieve the impossible!”

Michael Ruiz, Lead Cook

Vista Grande Dining Complex

Cal Poly Corporation

California State Polytechnic University

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

Nominator: Kaitlin Gibbons, Vista Grande General Manager

“It doesn’t matter what is asked of Mike Ruiz, which venue on campus he’s working, or who he’s working with, he always gets the job done, on time and with the highest of standards. He truly is the backbone of his venue. For the past 13 years he has served the Cal Poly community. Earlier this year he was promoted to lead cook. Since then, he has stepped up his game and become a leader in the kitchen, quick to help, or hand out efficiency tips with a heavy side of snark. He has developed into the employee who quickly understands the task at hand. This of course is all done on his own accord with no thought paid to additional recognition for the work that he puts in or the care that he gives.”

Jeffrey Walter, Catering Manager

Faculty Student Association

SUNY Fredonia

Nominator: Dean Messina, Director of Dining Services

“Jeffrey has been an integral part of the Catering Department, but due to COVID-19 the department went to mostly pick up/delivery options through the remainder of the spring '20, fall '20 and spring '21 semesters. So, in place of furloughing Jeff for that time, he was put in charge of quarantine meals for students on campus. Each student who was assigned to isolation (traced) or quarantined (positive test) in dorms on campus needed to receive meals. Of course, in Jeff's style he took on the responsibility with fervor. Jeff treated the students like they were his sons or daughters. Not only did he deliver meals but also packages from Amazon or care packages from their families, along with speaking with students behind closed doors or giving his cell number out to them to text or call him. Most of the campus community didn't see any of what he did, but the students he helped were very appreciative of his efforts.”

Wei Fang Wang, Cook

Vista Grande Dining Complex

Cal Poly Corporation

California State Polytechnic University

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

Nominator: Kaitlin Gibbons, Vista Grande General Manager

“Ask any of her colleagues in the kitchen and the answer is always the same. Wei Fang Wang is amazing. For the past four years Wang has been serving up deliciousness for Cal Poly Campus Dining. A skilled cook, she now prepares meals in the newly opened Noodles venue. Serving a university community of more than 18,000 takes employees who are reliable, safe and willing to do what is needed. Wei Fang is this and more. She consistently does more than is asked of her and offers a helping hand to others whenever she can. When needed, she stays late and continues work as if she just started her day. She shows up to start her day with a great attitude and is always asking questions so she can continue to grow as a cook. Food safety is extremely important in any dining facility and Wang is on the top of her game. She is conscious of everything around her and is constantly working to ensure a clean workspace. Campus Dining is lucky to have Wei Fang and would happily hire her multiple times over.”

Brian Weinstein, Director of Campus Dining Operations

Fairleigh Dickinson University/Gourmet Dining

Teaneck, N.J.

Nominator: Bob Valenti, AVP for Auxiliary Services

“Brian has worked tirelessly like thousands of others during these difficult COVID challenges. What is impressive is that he spearheaded a total restructuring of our dining plans, initiated mobile ordering for both of our New Jersey campuses, has kept our students and staff safe and satisfied (getting great student feedback), kept his staff safe and run a cost-efficient dining program while keeping menus fresh, evolving and nutritional. Brian has done all of this while also reaching new levels of sustainability, eliminating waste, and offering more green packaging options, all while setting up his "mobile" office in the center of our dining hall, offering safe but clear accessibility for our guests.”

Frances Yokota, Manager, Dining Services

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, Ca.

Nominator: Robert Bagley, Chef de cuisine

“Frances has worked excessively with our dining director to make sure all 70+ employees kept their jobs for the first eight months of the pandemic, and is currently working even harder to bring everyone back.”