Session Details

Keynotes:

The Human Side of Leadership EXCELLENCE – The Four E’s of Excellence

Dustin E. James, international speaker, Moments Performance Group

Learning Sessions:

Balancing Dining Operations, Guest Satisfaction and Campus Values through Menus Centering Plant-Based Proteins

Jennifer Channin, executive director, Better Food Foundation, Center for Food Systems Transformation at the University of San Diego

College and university foodservice professionals face complex challenges, including upholding campus values related to sustainability, health, and food accessibility, while meeting operational priorities such as managing food costs and supply chain disruptions, and satisfying diverse student needs regarding allergens, ethics, culture, and health. How can dining services successfully navigate these competing demands? An evidence-based solution is emerging. Forward-thinking institutions are discovering that centering plant-based proteins can simultaneously address multiple priorities without compromising food quality, increasing costs, or burdening staff. The key to this transformation? Behavioral science techniques—specifically defaults and nudges—that preserve diner choice while gently guiding students toward plant-rich options. This interactive panel presents findings from three groundbreaking peer-reviewed research studies conducted across eight diverse universities between 2020 and 2024. These comprehensive studies examined interventions in both independently operated dining services and contracted foodservice operations, encompassing catering operations and cafeterias. The panelists, who directly participated in designing, implementing, and analyzing these studies, will share evidence-based strategies for increasing plant-based protein adoption through choice architecture and behavioral science. They’ll also share findings from several other pilot studies in which operators were able to achieve significant reductions in food costs by centering lower-cost plant-based protein ingredients in their recipes. Unlike traditional approaches that often generate resistance by removing options or restricting choice, behavioral science tools help dining operations introduce more sustainable, healthy, and allergen-friendly options while maintaining student satisfaction. However, these techniques aren't a silver bullet—proper implementation matters. Whether you run an independent dining service or work with a contracted provider, this session presents evidence-based strategies to align campus values, operational priorities, and guest satisfaction through thoughtful implementation of plant-forward dining initiatives. 

Creating a Safe Seat at the Table: Supporting Students with Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free Needs in Campus Dining

Nicole Kessler, president and founder, The Celiac College Guide

Across the country, colleges are working to meet the growing demand for gluten-free options, yet students with celiac disease often continue to experience stress, uncertainty, and isolation when dining on campus. For these students, eating safely is not simply about what is on the menu; it depends on consistent preparation practices, clear communication, and a culture of understanding and inclusion. In this interactive session, Celiac College Guide founder Nicole Sherrin Kessler will share lessons learned from hundreds of colleges and student families nationwide. Drawing from national data and real student feedback, participants will examine the most common gaps between intent and impact in gluten-free dining. The discussion will highlight what students say actually builds confidence and trust, and what practices can unintentionally undermine those goals. Participants will then engage in a collaborative exchange of ideas, sharing strategies that have worked on their own campuses and exploring new ways to strengthen safety and inclusion. Through guided reflection and peer conversation, attendees will identify opportunities to enhance staff training, cross-contact prevention, labeling accuracy, and communication between dining services, disability offices, and students. Nicole will also introduce tools and resources from the Celiac College Guide that campuses can use to self-assess current systems, benchmark against national trends, and communicate strengths to prospective families. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the student perspective, a collection of peer-tested best practices, and practical steps to make their dining programs safer, more transparent, and more welcoming for all students who depend on medically necessary gluten-free meals.

Dining for Change: How Campus Food Systems Can Advance Climate Goals, Cut Costs, and Build Culture

Monalisa Prasad, vice president of sustainability, Chartwells Higher Ed

University dining halls are no longer just cost centers; they are uniquely positioned to serve as daily, visible engines for sustainability, student engagement, and institutional culture. This session will present a practical, data-driven framework (The Plate, The Bin, The Farm, and The Campus) that reimagines dining operations as catalysts for climate action, cost reduction, and student belonging. Participants will explore scalable strategies for plant-forward menus, waste diversion, local sourcing, and integration of dining into academic and cultural life. Drawing from real-world campus examples, including institutions that have successfully leveraged dining to advance climate goals, the session will equip attendees with actionable tools for transforming dining into a cornerstone of environmental stewardship and institutional identity. By the end of this session, participants will be able to: understand the four-pillar sustainability framework (Plate, Bin, Farm, Campus) and how it applies to dining services; analyze research and case studies that link sustainable dining practices to climate goals, cost reduction, and student success; apply evidence-based strategies for plant-forward menus, waste diversion systems, local sourcing, and campus-wide cultural integration; and evaluate how dining can serve as a strategic asset for recruitment, retention, and institutional branding.

From Chaos to Clarity: How NC State Dining Built a Creative Framework for Marketing

James Hudgens, visual arts specialist, NC State University

Every successful dining program relies on more than great food. It depends on how that food and experience are shared. At North Carolina State University, a small dining marketing team faced a common challenge: keeping up with a constant flow of requests while staying on message and on brand. The answer came through building a clear internal structure that made the creative process easier to understand, teach and repeat. This session explores how NC State Dining’s Campus Enterprises team developed a system for NC State Dining that connects creativity with collaboration. Through templates, intake forms, brand guides and training tools, the team built a foundation that allows professional staff and student or junior-level designers to work together with confidence. The result is a smoother process that keeps messaging consistent, projects on schedule and the brand in line with the university’s broader identity. Attendees will learn how this structure fostered ownership among student designers who now play a direct role in telling the dining story. They will also see how marketing staff and dining leadership communicate more effectively through shared expectations and clear visual standards. The presentation follows the team’s journey from chaos to clarity, using real examples of marketing collateral, brand tools and workflow templates that brought efficiency to the creative process. Throughout the session, participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own structures, identify communication gaps and explore practical steps to unify their own creative output. By the end, attendees will leave with a framework they can adapt to their own campuses. They will gain ideas for building brand recognition, managing internal expectations and empowering students and employees to contribute meaningfully to their department’s mission. The story of NC State Dining’s creative system shows that structure isn’t about restriction. It’s about creating the space to work together, think creatively and share a consistent message across campus.

From Ordering to Operations: Do’s and Don’ts of Campus Dining Technology

Brooke Gregoire, MBA, M.Ed., PMP, manager, Hospitality Services, University of Guelph

Adopting new technologies can transform campus operations and improve the student and staff experience, but only if they’re implemented thoughtfully. Too often, institutions rush into the latest trend without considering team readiness, integration challenges, or long-term alignment with strategic priorities and operational goals. This session shares practical lessons learned from real campus technology rollouts, focusing on what works, what doesn’t, and how to partner effectively with vendors to ensure sustainable success. We’ll cover strategies for building stakeholder buy-in, developing meaningful training and communication plans, and ensuring that new systems support rather than complicate day-to-day operations. Participants will also explore common challenges in the adoption process. We’ll discuss why careful planning is essential, how to remain flexible during the rollout, and when it may be necessary to cut losses on a system that isn’t delivering results. The session emphasizes keeping technology purposeful, enhancing the experience for students and staff rather than creating additional friction. By the end, attendees will leave with a clear, actionable framework to guide their next technology project. Whether piloting a new tool or scaling a campus-wide system, participants will be equipped to avoid pitfalls, maximize value, and ensure long-term success.

Key themes based on the results of the 2024/25 NACUFS Customer Satisfaction Benchmarking survey

Johann Leitner, CEO, Touchwork

As part of the 2024/25 NACUFS Customer Satisfaction Benchmarking survey, over 100,000 comments were recorded from around 40,000 students regarding their likes/dislikes, suggestions and concerns. This presentation will highlight both the quantitative results of the survey as well as the key themes and areas for improvement based on the qualitative feedback. The overall scores regarding student satisfaction will be covered, highlighting the key areas for improvement and include a gap analysis indicating discrepancies between importance and satisfaction of 20 key factors. Utilizing the 100,000+ student comments, insights based on a number of topics will be discussed, including: vegan/vegetarian options, branded restaurants/concepts, and plant-based proteins. These insights are obtained using AI tools and will cover the key themes and areas for improvement. 

Redefining Meat for Campus Dining

Andrew Arentowicz, co-founder and CEO, 50/50 Foods, Inc.

Tim Dale, category innovation director, Food System Innovations

Chef Joey Martin, senior executive chef, UCLA

College and university dining programs have long served as testing grounds for emerging food trends, and today they are well positioned to lead the next shift with the rise of balanced proteins—meat products that blend animal and plant-based ingredients to deliver more sustainable, nutritious, and cost-effective options without sacrificing taste. As plant-based meat adoption plateaus due to cost, skepticism, and operational challenges, and conventional meat faces volatility in pricing, supply chains, and emissions accountability, Balanced Proteins offer a pragmatic middle ground that appeals to both students and budgets. Moderated by Tim Dale, category innovation director at Food System Innovations, this session features Chef Brian Cochrane of Vanderbilt University, Chef Richard Leonardo of Syracuse University Dining, and Jeremy Kaye, co-founder and chief executive officer of The Spare Food Co, who will share research, data, and case studies illustrating why this category is gaining traction in institutional dining. The discussion will cover the evolving category landscape, results from blind sensory panels demonstrating strong flavor and texture performance, consumer and menu positioning insights, measurable gains in emissions reduction and supply chain resilience, and real-world examples from dining programs already implementing these solutions. Attendees will leave with the evidence, insights, and inspiration needed to bring balanced protein strategies into campus dining today.

Religious Observance & Dietary Accommodations

Amanda Ewing, director, Culture & Engagement, University of Michigan Dining

Shelby Miller, culinary & nutrition support specialist, University of Michigan Dining

This interactive session explores religious dietary observances and the accommodations needed to foster an inclusive campus dining environment. Participants will gain an overview of common dietary practices across several faith traditions, including Kosher laws in Judaism, Halal requirements in Islam, vegetarian preferences in Hinduism and Buddhism, and fasting practices in Christianity, equipping attendees to recognize the diverse needs present on campus. The session also examines the theological and cultural significance of these observances, emphasizing why accommodations are essential to students’ sense of belonging, well-being, and full participation in campus life. Through hands-on menu design and collaborative problem-solving, attendees will work individually and in groups to develop inclusive menus while addressing real-world challenges such as cross-contamination, ingredient availability, and communication between dining staff and students. The discussion will highlight strategies for staff training, sourcing, and creative preparation that respect religious requirements without compromising taste or nutrition, building confidence and competency in supporting religious diversity through equitable dining practices.

Together We Thrive: Building Student Employee Communities for Operational Excellence

Wes Payne, graduate teaching assistant, Dining Services, The Ohio State University

Kendall Siemienas, graduate teaching assistant for student development, The Ohio State University, Dining Services

This session highlights how intentional community-building efforts have strengthened operational success within Ohio State Dining Services, offering an introspective perspective on developing college students within a non-traditional learning environment. Facilitated by graduate teaching assistants studying higher education and student affairs, the presentation will share data showing improvements in student employee retention and performance following the implementation of community-focused initiatives, supported by research linking sense of belonging to operational performance and student success. Attendees will learn about three key programs—the Student Community Leader Program, which empowers student employees to take on leadership roles; Early Arrival Training, which brings approximately 200 student employees to campus before the fall semester for professional development and team preparation; and the annual Student Employee Appreciation Banquet recognizing outstanding student contributions—along with insights into each program’s development, challenges, and evolution. The session will also explore scalable approaches that can be adapted across institutions with varying resources, followed by guided small- and large-group discussions designed to help attendees reflect on their own operations, share ideas, and leave with practical strategies for building community among student employees and supporting student success.