News about Dining Services

Donations are always welcomed at The Cupboard at Penn College, an on-campus food pantry, including items that aren’t food. In March, The Cupboard was grateful to receive a donation by the Student Nurses’ Association of over 75 health and beauty products.

The Cupboard provides aid to Penn College students who may be having a difficult time purchasing enough food to avoid hunger for themselves and their families.

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A total of 3,546 meals were provided to 484 Penn College students in COVID-related isolation or quarantine so far this academic year, according to Dining Services statistics shared Thursday with the administration.

Figures through February break down into: dinner, 1,258; lunch, 877; breakfast, 817; and brunch, 243. In addition, 351 bagged items (muffins, noodle bowls, sandwiches, snacks, etc.) were given to students who began the testing/isolation process after Dining Services made its deliveries for the day.

The highest number of total meals was 915 in September; November was second with 800. Wildcat Athletics coaches helped make some of the meal dropoffs, it was noted, indicative of the institution’s collaborative approach to serving students affected by the pandemic.

Mrs. T’s Pierogies recently named a recipe developed by a head cook at Pennsylvania College of Technology the winner of its Fall 2020 College & University Recipe Contest.

Jennifer N. Severson, head cook in the college’s CC Commons dining unit, received first place honors – including a $500 gift card – for her Fall Pierogi Hash.

Severson’s recipe calls for bacon, butternut squash, green apples, yellow onions and, of course, Mrs. T’s pierogies.

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Penn College’s Dining Services staff has been collectively called an “essential hero” for preparing and providing nourishment to students cloistered by the coronavirus.

“We have delivered just over 2,500 meals since Aug. 5 – continuously – to 380 affected students in isolation and quarantine on campus,” director Mark J. Leo said Monday.

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Student college relations assistants collaborated with fellow student leaders to coordinate campuswide “Give Thanks” engagement efforts to show their gratitude to those who invest in the Penn College experience.

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Dining Services held its third annual Soup for the Soul event on Thursday, raising more than $1,100 to benefit The Cupboard. For an $8 donation, participants chose a handcrafted bowl and enjoyed a meal of chicken tortilla or cheddar broccoli soup, roll, dessert and beverage. A ceramic art sale was held in conjunction with the benefit meal, featuring such items as mugs, pitchers, wall hangings and tiny statues. Bowls and art pieces were made and donated by instructor David A. Stabley and students in his ceramic and wood sculpture classes. For more information on the food pantry, housed on the first floor of the Bush Campus Center (Room 105H, at the rear of CC Commons), email The Cupboard or visit the Dining Services portal page.
Photos by Noelle B. Bloom, assistant director, Dining Services

Penn College Dining Services’ efforts to maintain continuity during the coronavirus pandemic, both during a spring shutdown and after in-person instruction resumed with the fall semester, are featured in the Summer 2020 cover story of Campus Dining Today, published by The National Association of College & University Food Services: Campus Dining Today

Friday’s designation as “National Food Bank Day” serves to remind the Penn College community that The Cupboard – a food pantry on the first floor of the Bush Campus Center (Room 105H, at the rear of CC Commons) – is in operation this fall. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Cupboard is closed Saturdays and open from 4 to 6 p.m. Sundays (patrons must report to the CC Information Desk for assistance during those hours). Students struggling with food insecurity will need to complete a brief intake form; no financial information is requested or required. Among the items available for pickup are cereal, soup, pasta mixes, peanut butter, jelly, and canned fruits and vegetables. More information is available by email or by visiting the Dining Services portal page, where students and employees can also find information on donating to The Cupboard.

Pennsylvania College of Technology recently became one of 94 colleges and universities across the nation to become part of the FARE Food Allergy College Search database.

The database is operated by FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education). FARE is dedicated to improving life and health for 32 million Americans with potentially life-threatening food allergies, advocating for research and providing resources, support and hope for the food allergy community.

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Thursday’s Recipe Showcase in the Keystone Dining Room provided more than 300 people with tempting samples, soliciting feedback on items that Dining Services plans to add to its menus in the Fall 2020 semester.
Photos by Noelle B. Bloom, assistant director, Dining Services

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to the global coronavirus outbreak, Spring Open House was canceled.)

When it comes to choosing a college, seeing is believing. And there’s a lot to see at Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Spring Open House!

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28, members of the Penn College community will welcome thousands of potential enrollees and their families, opening wide the doors to a landmark institution that has helped tomorrow makers fulfill their destinies for more than a century.

“Open House provides a unique way for prospective students to explore our campus,” said Jen M. Cullin-Hetrick, coordinator of admissions events/communications. “With no set agenda to follow, guests can take the day to explore what matters most to them. Whether that is seeing as many labs as possible, checking out the residence halls, connecting with current students, or all of the above.”

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Wednesday’s Cultural Cafe, served up by Dining Services in commemoration of Black History Month, provided a sampling menu – three different stations focused on three distinct cultures. Participation in the CC Commons dinner qualified students to compete for a variety of raffle prizes.
Photos by Juvy A. Orillaza, student photographer

For the third consecutive year – and the fourth time overall – Student Affairs at Pennsylvania College of Technology has been honored as one of “The Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs” by the publication Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

Penn College is one of 27 colleges or universities to receive the 2020 Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs honor, with the honorees to be published in the March 5 edition of the magazine.

Representatives of the schools will be recognized during the American College Personnel Association’s annual meeting, to be held March 2-5 in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Faculty and staff in the Penn College nursing program adopted The Cupboard for the holidays. The Cupboard is an on-campus food pantry for students, operated by Dining Services. Organized by Pamela W. Baker, assistant professor of nursing, the two-week food drive yielded 181 food items and $150 in cash. During the Fall 2019 semester, almost 90 students visited The Cupboard to obtain food.

A pair of ol’ reliables – therapy dogs in Madigan Library and Midnight Breakfast in the Keystone Dining Room – reappeared on schedule this past week to help students navigate any end-of-semester turbulence.

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