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On this Increased Ed Careers interview, Jim Meinecke, director of residential eating at The Pennsylvania State College, discusses his profession path, the award-winning eating program at Penn State, and improvements in campus eating halls.
Aiding our editorial workforce this month is our personal Jason Bodnar, who’s a senior account supervisor of recruitment at HigherEdJobs, a Penn State alum, and is understood across the workplace as our resident foodie.
Jason Bodnar, HigherEdJobs: Inform us about your profession path — you have labored in residential eating companies at Penn State since 2007. What drew you to this subject in larger training, and what do you want most about your job?
Jim Meinecke, Penn State: My spouse and I met at Penn State and fell in love with the world. Eat n’ Park is a neighborhood restaurant chain primarily based out of the Pittsburgh space, and it was a beautiful firm to work with straight out of college. I at all times had a watch on returning to the college that I liked. Luckily, a supervisor place opened in 2007. Whether or not in a supervisor or administrative function, the reply and draw have at all times been the identical for me — folks. Our college students preserve me feeling younger and at all times preserve me on my toes to make sure we meet present calls for. Moreover, I’ve been blessed to work with great folks all through my 17 years.
Bodnar: I used to be speaking with a co-worker about our college-age children, and she or he shared that her son scans his hand (as a substitute of utilizing an ID) for his meal plan. My spouse examine meals supply robots on The Ohio State campus. What are different current key modifications and improvements in residential eating companies?
Meinecke: Our college students are at all times pushing us to remain on high of present traits — each with meals and expertise — and, truthfully, I like that. We’re exploring robotic supply and hope to deliver it to campus inside the subsequent yr. Some current modifications now we have carried out embody mobile credentials for our meal plan and residence halls and Mashgin self-checkout in 4 comfort shops. Moreover, we plan to roll out Byte merchandising machines quickly. These coolers might be an extension of our comfort shops and can present ambient, chilly, and frozen choices 24 hours a day, seven days per week. We’re additionally engaged on a brand new point-of-sale system over the following seven months to permit for higher performance and person expertise at our kiosks and thru cell ordering.
Bodnar: Gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan weight loss plan choices weren’t at all times so well-liked and even provided as broadly as they’re now. May you speak in regards to the huge array of dishes accessible on at present’s school campuses and why having these choices is vital?
Meinecke: Once I stepped into this function in 2022, I spoke in regards to the want for our menus to be consultant. What I imply by that’s creating menu choices and stations to extend inclusivity and belonging with our friends. Our scholar physique is extra numerous than ever, and that pattern will proceed. We’re consistently pushed to develop our choices and have a look at completely different meals as a result of it is an expectation from our friends. our portfolio of menu objects now, it is wonderful. Our all-you-care-to-eat buffets at all times have a vegan entree and plenty of different vegetarian choices for every meal interval. We make the most of entree playing cards and a web-based menu to make it simpler to search out whether or not one thing incorporates one of many high 9 allergens, whether or not it’s vegan or meatless, incorporates pork or is Halal or gluten-friendly. With 850 college students self-disclosing a meals allergy to our registered dietitians this yr, managing meals allergy symptoms successfully solely grows in significance every year. Moreover, now we have added stations previously three years like Choolaah Indian BBQ, which serves Indian rice bowls and road meals; Halal Cart, which serves Center Jap rice bowls and pitas; and Market Pollock Asia Kitchen, which serves Asian bowls and bubble tea. Outdoors of the significance of serving our friends, we predict we’re an extension of the College’s mission to “educate college students from around the globe.” A lot of our friends might attempt meals with us for the primary time, and that is superior.
Bodnar: Sustainability is an enormous a part of eating companies on many college campuses. What sustainability efforts are you main that you just’re happy with and that different campuses might replicate?
Meinecke: Particularly popping out of the pandemic, there was a whole lot of pleasure relating to sustainability and growing our efforts. We’re in yr two of a three-year mission to switch our dishwashing machines. This not solely permits us to function extra environment friendly machines that make the most of much less energy and water, however it’s going to additionally enable us to turn into trayless in operations, which has proven optimistic results on meals waste. Moreover, these machines will enable us to develop our PSreUse program, which promotes reusable containers whereas limiting single-use takeout containers. Along with that, we moved away from plastic baggage fully this yr. We provide paper baggage, and we solely present these upon request. We’re working some pilots at Warnock Eating Corridor, which embody solely providing reusable takeout containers with no choice for single-use containers and using compostable cutlery as a substitute of plastic. Now we have seen optimistic suggestions for each initiatives and hope to roll them out extra broadly quickly.
Bodnar: As you realize, COVID had a serious affect on universities, and eating companies took an enormous hit. There are fewer job postings on this realm now than within the pre-COVID years, although we at present have greater than 800 food services positions on HigherEdJobs. What did you study throughout these years that helped enhance what you and your groups do?
Meinecke: It was a difficult time for all of us, however there have been many optimistic outcomes. In the beginning, our teamwork was unimaginable throughout these attempting occasions. Everybody labored to search out their method collectively, and our workforce was very versatile and gave one another grace. We emerged stronger as a result of many individuals needed to work in several positions and areas for durations of time. Whereas it was difficult within the brief time period, it elevated their information in the long run. Of us are extra receptive to vary and fewer petrified of the outcome. Everybody needed to change so rapidly and regularly that future change now appears much less daunting.
A few of the rising greatest practices included revisiting how we rent full-time workers. As an alternative of particular person interviews at one among our 5 places, we now have a central course of for contacting, organizing, and interviewing candidates. This not solely permits for time effectivity and a greater interviewee expertise, but it surely additionally permits our workforce to work extra collaboratively on placement. Future targets realized from the pandemic embody a greater onboarding expertise and a extra constant and arranged coaching strategy.
Bodnar: First-year college students and sophomores who dwell on campus frequent the on-campus eating choices. Nevertheless, when college students dwell off campus, like in my daughter’s case, they do not use these eating choices as a lot. How do you retain off-campus college students, workers, and college and engaged with on-campus eating?
Meinecke: Whereas off-campus college students could also be much less engaged when it comes to frequency, my expertise is that off-campus college students are nonetheless very conscious of on-campus choices and choices. For instance, they solely purchase espresso 1-2 occasions per week as a substitute of 5-6 occasions per week, however they’re nonetheless conscious and anticipate most of the identical issues we mentioned earlier. A part of the reply goes again to having a various portfolio of choices, however assembly the scholars the place they’re can also be vital. We all know present college students are typically on their telephones and like to search out data and order their meals that method. If we are able to make {that a} seamless expertise by providing an important cell order resolution, that can preserve the entire campus group engaged.
Moreover, we provide a wide range of pop-up occasions and particular dinners all year long. These occasions create a whole lot of pleasure in our places, drawing not solely college students, college, and workers but additionally some members from the native State School group.
Bodnar: Your LinkedIn bio states that you just proudly oversee one of many nation’s largest self-operated campus eating applications. How does Penn State’s program differ from different establishments by being self-operated?
Meinecke: One of many many advantages of working at a big establishment like Penn State is that now we have a whole lot of assets on campus. For instance, Housing and Meals Companies has a central bakery, buying, and warehouse. On the college degree, having a assist infrastructure in place with items like IT, human assets, and advertising (amongst many others) are all elements that enable us to self-operate as a eating program. Consequently, one of many largest advantages is extra autonomy. We actually worth scholar suggestions and obtain it all year long in some ways. If our college students strategy us in search of new menu objects, ideas, and even expertise, we’re not restricted in any method. Working a self-operated eating program permits us to be extra attentive to our friends’ wants.
Bodnar: In July, Penn State gained the Grand Prize for outreach and education from the Nationwide Affiliation of School & College Meals Companies (NACUFS). In accordance with the affiliation, these awards acknowledge members’ progressive concepts and program implementation. What are you able to share with us about your progressive strategy to outreach and training?
Meinecke: As I discussed earlier, we take our function within the college’s mission of training college students very critically. Nearly all of our pop-up occasions and particular dinners have parts of outreach and training each in-person and thru social media on Instagram and TikTok. Our eating workforce, culinary workforce, and registered dietitians do an amazing job of outreach and training all year long. We additionally attempt to work with inner and exterior companions. A lot of our occasions characteristic different on-campus teams like our Scholar Farm, Berkey Creamery, or Bakery. We gained our award by means of NACUFS by combining many of those parts over a two-day interval. We partnered with Simon Majumdar, a well-recognized and proficient meals character, creator, and broadcaster. We additionally partnered with the College of Hospitality Administration for his keynote speech to kick off the 2 days. On the second day, Simon hosted two culinary demos showcasing Indian delicacies, which was an lively studying alternative for college students and group members. Lastly, he completed by emceeing a culinary throwdown occasion that includes 4 groups of two college cooks on every workforce. All 4 groups wanted to make the most of 5 necessary thriller basket elements and will make the most of many different pantry elements. We then labored with different on-campus companions to simulcast the occasion by means of our Redifer Eating Commons. These are only a few examples of how we preserve pushing the boundaries to hopefully ship pleasure and training to our friends.
Bodnar: As a scholar at Penn State, I recall strolling throughout campus to get a late-night cheeseburger. Is that also an choice for college students? What are some favourite meals or distinctive treats primarily based on the scholars, workers, and college you speak with or survey?
Meinecke: You’ll be blissful to know we nonetheless supply late-night burgers and fries in a number of places, that are nonetheless very talked-about! We additionally supply different choices like Asian bowls that do effectively later within the night. Some consolation meals like hen tenders and fries are favorites, however general, the preferred objects range. Some objects embody made-to-order acai bowls from Bowls, Mexican bowls and strolling tacos from Fresco, subs and wraps with freshly sliced meats from On a Roll, and falafels and gyros from Halal Cart. We additionally created a brand-new idea at Waring Eating Commons this previous semester referred to as State Chik’n. This location options hand-breaded fried hen, a signature dipping sauce one among our managing cooks created, and a contemporary peach cobbler from our Penn State Bakery. We collaborated with our advertising workforce to set the house in a enjoyable and energetic method, together with brilliant colours, enjoyable imagery on the partitions, and interactive options like permitting our friends to decide on the following music alternatives by way of their telephones. It has turn into one among our most visited places in eating.
