Kennesaw State University--Highlights of Summer 2013

 
Hi, my name is Natalie and I'm a senior majoring in dietetics at Brigham Young University. I’m originally from Utah, but I spent the last eight weeks getting a taste of life in the South during my internship in Kennesaw, Georgia. This year is the first time Kennesaw State University (KSU) has hosted NACUFS interns, and Adriane and I feel so privileged to be the first ones! KSU is only 50 years old, but it's the third largest state university in Georgia. With such rapid growth happening around us, it's been an exciting time to be working on campus. We’ve had an incredible experience this summer, and I want to share some of the highlights from our time here at KSU.

Award-Winning Dining Service

Our dining hall, The Commons, is known for having great food and for its sustainability efforts. From the time it was opened in 2009, KSU Culinary & Hospitality Services has won numerous awards. Most recently, we received the National Restaurant Association's 2013 'Innovator of the Year' award. This is the first time an institution of higher education has been selected for this award. KSU was chosen over other top competitors, including Taco Bell, Disney World, and the US Air Force. Needless to say, we were very pleased and honored to receive this award.

Welcome to The Commons!

Beautiful front architecture

NRA 2013 Innovator of the Year

Sustainable Practices

At The Commons, all plate waste goes into the biocomposter, a machine that breaks food (and even chicken bones) down into a nutrient-rich water that can be used to water crops on KSU farms. This is a unique part of the farm-to-campus-to-farm program. Another innovative practice at KSU is that we grow hydroponic greens right inside The Commons. There are more than ten hydroponic units in the dining hall. Adriane and I got to help harvest the greens, which were then washed and served at the salad bar in The Commons.

The biocomposter

Hydroponic greens growing inside The Commons

Fun on the Farm

KSU has three farms where they grow produce using sustainable organic practices. Two of the farms also have apiaries, which produce over 30 gallons of honey a year. Produce and honey from the farms are transported back to campus and served in The Commons. Farm goods are also sold at a farmer's market held on campus in the fall. Last week we got to visit the Hickory Grove Farm, about ten minutes north of campus. We helped hoe a row of indigo, which the KSU art department will use to make paint. We also got to see the new hydroponic greenhouses they are building, in which they are planning to grow tomatoes year-round. Before we left the farm, we harvested and husked corn to be taken to The Commons. The next day at lunch we got to eat some of the delicious corn we helped to harvest.

Hoeing indigo on the farm

The cream of the crop

Back of the House

We got to spend some time with Andrew, our purchasing manager, who taught us about ordering and doing inventory. He also showed us how to receive orders and taught us what to look for when we get a new shipment. Adriane and I also got to make hot sauce with Chef Billy. We found out that carrots are an important ingredient in hot sauce--who knew?

Receiving an order of fresh fish

Making hot sauce with Chef Billy

The finished product

Our own jar!

Projects

Adriane and I worked together on several projects, including a website review, label design, and secret shopper surveys. Our biggest project was to create a marketing plan for Spring 2014. We spent many hours doing a SWOT analysis and coming up with an action plan and marketing materials. As part of our marketing plan we created a line of advertisements based on the "Keep Calm" trend. We were excited when they liked our ideas enough to use them in the meal plan promotion for this fall, and it was fun to see it all over campus.

Keep Calm and Swipe On!

Sidewalk in front of The Commons

Yard sign on campus

New Student Orientation

Every Friday we had new student orientation. Adriane and I distributed drinks to parents in the morning, and then counted and marked wrist bands as guests entered the dining hall for lunch. In the afternoon we sat at an information table and answered questions about meal plan requirements and options for upgrading. It was fun to be involved in creating a positive experience for parents and incoming students, but we also gained important insights that were helpful as we worked on our marketing plan project.

Transporting drinks on the golf cart

Parents and students enjoying lunch at The Commons

  

Questions about your meal plan?

National NACUFS Conference

One of the best highlights of this summer was our trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota for the national NACUFS conference. Adriane and I were among the few interns who had this privilege as part of our internship. We were so grateful we got to go to the conference with Rob (our internship coordinator) and Randy (the executive director of auxiliary services). We learned a lot from attending the various conference sessions and networking with professionals. We also got to learn about different things other universities around the country are doing in their dining services. It really opened my eyes to the value of professional conferences and what they have to offer to anyone who goes with a desire to learn and be inspired by new ideas.

Such a beautiful city!

Trying tacos de lengua (beef tongue) at lunch

A building we found on a walk around the city

A bench across from the Minneapolis Convention Center 

 

"Moore" Love

Adriane and I also got to help with a benefit dinner to raise money for the tornado victims in Moore, Oklahoma. Because state funds can't be used to fund a charity event, everything--from the delicious food to the classy t-shirts--was generously donated by our vendors and local companies. All the money we raised was sent to help rebuild communities in Moore County.

Showing our support for Moore, OK

A Day with the Bulldogs

After we got back from Minneapolis, Rob took us to visit UGA for a day. We visited several of their dining halls and got a tour of the historic part of campus. We also saw part of their new student orientation program and how they got parents and students excited about dining on campus. It was great to see how dining services works at a large university.

Adriane & I with UGA's NACUFS interns, Meghan & Colleen

History of The South

While we were in Georgia, we took advantage of the opportunity to learn about the history that was all around us. Our first week here, we visited Stone Mountain and watched the laser show on the rock. We also got the chance to hike around Kennesaw Mountain, the site of several significant Civil War battles. Before we left Georgia, we also made sure to visit the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, where we learned about the Great Locomotive Chase. It was incredible to see how history is such a real and important part of this area.

Stone Mountain: A carving of Confederate leaders during the Civil War

The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History

Leaving a Piece of My Heart in Georgia

Looking back on my 8 weeks here in Kennesaw, it's hard to believe it's gone by so quickly. I've learned a lot from the experiences I've had here, but what really made this summer special was the amazing people we got to work with. From the beginning, they welcomed us to the team and made us feel like part of the family. They even threw us a going away party on our last day. Thank you so much to everyone at KSU who made our experience so great! A special thanks to Rob, who did so much for us as our internship coordinator. I'm really going to miss y'all!

Our awesome internship coordinator, Rob

Cake at our going away party