Students are the number one priority of ISU Dining. By staying engaged with our students, we connect and learn from them to develop meal plan offerings, menus, facility design, and technology to exceed their expectations. In order to ensure students have participation in the process, our team partners with the Inter Residence Hall Association (IRHA) and Student Government.
We strive to present to these student led organizations multiple times throughout the academic year. Along with these student leaders, our team hosts the ISU Dining Food Committee. The Food Committee consists of meal plan holders who are interested in getting a behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of ISU Dining. Members get the chance to learn about menu changes and renovations and provide their feedback. Past meetings have included tours of Food Stores and our Central Bakery, a presentation from our Dietitian, samples of gelato and coffee, and a cake decorating tutorial. The Food Committee meets once per month on campus. Interested in joining? Send an email to dining@iastate.edu.
Additional facets led by the Engagement Team are the assemblage and management of sponsorship requests from a variety of departments, student organizations, and programs on campus. These requests can range from gift cards to hosting of catered events, such as the ISCORE conference meals. ISU Dining supports over 70 departments and organizations per year, sponsoring over $75,000 in requests yearly. Along with the financial and in-kind support, ISU Dining was a leader in providing students the ability to make a difference with food security on campus. Through the development of the Give a Swipe program, students can choose to donate two portions of their meal plan to be available for their peers who are encountering food security concerns.
