Freshens 5 Year Anniversary came with an award! After only 5 years with UConn, our Freshens in the Student Union, has the 2nd highest number of sales of colleges in the U.S. Over 700,000 shakes have been sold in just 5 years! They have also made a large donation in our name to The Fisher House! A charity for US Military Men and Woman. Thank you UConn and Thank you Freshens!

UConn Makes Top 5 Greenest Colleges for 2017

UConn Among First Universities to Gain ‘Green’ Rating at All Dining Halls

In keeping with the University’s environmental sustainability plans, all of our eight residential dining units (Whitney, Buckley, South, McMahon, Putnam, Northwest, North & Gelfenbien) have been approved as Certified Green Restaurant® with the Green Restaurant Association. Founded in 1990, The Green Restaurant Association, an international nonprofit organization, has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement as the leading voice within the industry, encouraging restaurants to green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards. With its turnkey certification system, the GRA has made it accessible for thousands of restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable in Energy, Water, Waste, Food, Chemicals, Disposables, & Building. For more information: http://dining.uconn.edu/locations/

Now that flu season is upon us, if you become ill and cannot make it to a dining unit for a meal, you may call the dining facility you normally eat in, ask for the manager on duty and request a meal “to go.” Please provide the manager with your PeopleSoft number as well as the name of the individual who will be picking up your meal. When the designated person picks up the meal for you, they may swipe in their own card, swipe in the requesting student’s card and contact the unit manager to assist with the take-out.

The Environmental Leadership Awards (ELAs) presented by UConn’s Office of Environmental Policy, were created as a way to honor those individuals that have truly excelled in their efforts to contribute to environmental awareness and promote progress in our ‘green’ efforts. These individuals have worked with other groups to make real, immediate improvements in the sustainability of our campus and beyond.

A winner is selected for each of the major categories: Undergraduate Student, Graduate Student, University Faculty/Administrator, and Staff. There are also ELA awards given to UConn-Affiliated Groups (e.g., Clubs, Organizations, Centers or Institutes), Alumni, and Special Recognition/External groups and individuals who have made significant contributions in executing major projects and initiatives for the University of Connecticut.

Presenting the awards was Dr. Gene Likens, UConn’s Special Advisor to the President on Environmental Affairs and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Dr. Likens, a world renowned scientist, discovered acid rain.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Dining Services Wins the Staff Group Award

Dining Services staff: Rob Landolphi, Mike White, Tracey Roy and presenter Dr. Gene Likens

Dining Services’ Spring Valley Student Farm Wins the Student Group Award

Julia Cartabiano, Manager of Spring Valley Student Farm, Wins the Staff Award

For the fifth time in as many years, the University of Connecticut is among the top 10 schools in the Sierra Club’s “Cool Schools” ranking. UConn placed ninth on the list this year, and was one of only a few Carnegie Level One Research Institutions still in the top 10. A change in survey methodology knocked previously high-ranking schools lower down the list, and put smaller liberal arts colleges and schools with specialized environmental programs into the top spots.

http://today.uconn.edu/2016/09/uconn-sierra-club-cool-schools-top-10/?utm_source=launchdistribution&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_email

NACUFS has named Dennis Pierce from the University of Connecticut as the recipient of the 2016 Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest individual honor.

Originally established in 1967 as the Distinguished Service Award, the award was renamed in 1973 to honor the first recipient, Theodore W. Minah. The award is presented annually in recognition of exemplary and enduring contributions to the foodservice industry and to the association. The NACUFS board of directors and council of past presidents select the recipient from among nominations submitted by the NACUFS membership.

“This year’s recipient is a person who has demonstrated his passion for the industry, NACUFS, institution, family, and community,” said Leonard Hodgson, a past president of NACUFS. “At every step in his organization, he is providing programs for the staff to be the best at their job.” It was also said that Dennis lives the philosophy of It matters not what I achieve, but what I aspire for others.

Pierce’s 42 years of professional achievements include establishing a highly-respected sustainability program, implementing a trayless dining environment, earning a Gold LEED certification after renovating an existing dining facility, contributing a monthly column for The Ground Up, receiving two Connecticut Journalism awards, making award-winning recipes, and co-managing a weekly sustainable organic Storrs Farmers Market.

Dennis Pierce has given many years of service to NACUFS. He served as the national publications officer, board member, board president, national conference co-chair, northeast regional conference co-chair, and national conference education co-chair. Pierce says of his award, “I am honored to be recognized by my peers by being awarded the most prestigious award that NACUFS bestows. I am one who believes that although it is the individual who receives the award, it is shared with those individuals who saw potential in me, provided opportunities for growth, and encouraged my career and participation in an outstanding association, NACUFS.”

Pierce received the award on Wednesday, July 14 at the NACUFS 2016 National Conference in Anaheim, California.

Dining Services would like to thank everyone who patronized the Farm Fresh Market this season. We look forward to serving you in the spring of 2017.