Foodservice operations at higher education facilities around the United States are being recognized for exemplary menus, presentations, special event planning, and new dining concepts. The National Association for College and University Food Services (NACUFS) recently named winners of its annual Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards, a program named for the association’s founder, past president, and a highly regarded innovator in the field.
Founded in 1958, NACUFS is the brainchild of Richard Lichtenfelt, then director of dormitory food services at Central Michigan University. Launched by a group of 20 college and university foodservice professionals, NACUFS supports its members with programs and resources to excel, and these include benchmarking, best practices, educational programming, and networking. As part of this mission, the Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards provide an avenue for sharing ideas and creative presentations in campus dining services.
For the 2017 awards, more than 75 colleges and universities across North America submitted entries in six categories: Residential Dining Concepts; Residential Dining—Special Event; Retail Sales—Single Concept; Retail Sales—Multiple Concepts/Marketplace; Catering—Special Event; and Catering—Online Menu. A team of six judges examined each entry and selected top candidates in each category.
Below are the Gold winners of each category, and by school size. The winning contest entries will be displayed at the NACUFS 2017 National Conference in July. Award winners are publicly recognized at a luncheon culminating with the announcement of the grand prize winners.
Residential Dining Concepts
Small School
Gold: Hendrix College
Medium School
Gold: Azusa Pacific University
Large School
Gold: University of Rhode Island
Residential Dining—Special Event
Small School
Gold: Hendrix College
Medium School
Gold: University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Large School
Gold: University of Rhode Island
Retail Sales—Single Concept
Small School
Gold: United States Naval Academy
Medium School
Gold: University of San Diego
Large School
Gold: University of Nevada, Reno
Retail Sales—Multiple Concepts/Marketplace
Medium School
Gold: Azusa Pacific University
Large School
Gold: Duke University
Catering—Special Event
Small School
Gold: Hendrix College
Medium School
Gold: College of the Holy Cross
Large School
Gold: Vanderbilt University
Catering—Online Menu
Small School
Gold: Ashland University
Medium School
Gold: University of Wisconsin-Stout
Large School
Gold: University of Oregon
See the full list of 2017 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards winners at the NACUFS website.
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