STUDENT COMMUNITY BUILDING
UN I VERSIT Y OF W I SCO N SIN-STOUT ’ S MEMO RI AL CENTER “We’ve always felt that our place with students is to help them feel as though they have a place to go to and meet up with someone on our staff that they know,” says Ann Thies, director of university dining services, University of Wisconsin-Stout. “Dining services staff members see students for their entire stay on campus, which is why we have such an important role at the university.” Thies explains that dining facility renovations over the past few years include providing many themed food stations as well as converting seating areas to include a mixture of booths, small and large tables with restaurant-style seats, and community tables. “We want students to feel they can eat together, whether they are alone or with large groups,” says Thies, “We don’t want anyone to feel out of place in any one seating arrangement.” A variety of seating options at University of Wisconsin-Stout gives everyone a place to eat and socialize. Booths surround tables for more secluded dining, counters at windows provide options for sole diners, and the fireplace warms the room for everyone. Counters contribute a European-style, coffee-shop ambiance to the dining area. Photos courtesy of UW-Stout Dining
Food stations also give students a sense of place, of belonging. “At several stations customers can customize their dishes, so they feel they have a say in selecting their meal," notes Thies. The efforts of the university to create inclusive dining spaces are paying off. In April, the Memorial Center at University of Wisconsin-
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ecent studies of college student retention reveal that students leave college because they don’t feel connected, not because of poor academic performance or money. Among the most successful strategies that encourage students to use college and university dining facilities is an environment designed with myriad food and seating options—a place where students want to spend their time and make connections. It is a destination where students can get away from their computers, interact with culinary staff, taste traditional and new foods, meet up with known friends and meet new friends, gather for meetings and events, and relax. Even when students study—using their computers, of course—they have opportunities to interact with fellow students and be part of campus life rather than be isolated in their rooms.
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By Donna Boss, Contributing Editor
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DESIGNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR