September 22, 2023

Special University Dining Events, Sept. 5 and 6

Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap Bowl

Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap Bowl

Half Price Lunch

University Dining is offering a Faculty and Staff Appreciation Half-Price Lunch on Tuesday, Sept. 5, in the Restaurants at the Top of the CRUC.  All members of the University’s faculty and staff may enjoy lunch between 11 am and 2 pm for only $3.25, – 50% off the current faculty and staff rate! Please remember to bring your faculty and staff ID in order to get the discount.

If you would like to know what we’ll be serving, you can view the menu in the Everyday by Sodexo App. Download the app and search for Mary Washington, or you can check the University Dining website, UMW.SodexoMyWay.com, click the menu button, then select Top of the Cedric Rucker University Center.

Free Kodiak Flapjack Sampling

University dining invites everyone to come on over to the CRUC patio on Wednesday morning, Sept. 6, to get some awesome Kodiak flapjacks, samples of their snack bars, and lots of swag!  This is a great way to start you day, and everything is free!  We’ll be serving between 9:30 am and 11:30 am on Wednesday, September 7th on the patio.  In the event of rain, the event wll move to the lobby of the CRUC (2nd floor).

Bulgogi Beef Bibimbap Globowl Dinner

We’re kicking off our new series of gourmet Globowl Dinners on Wednesday, Sept. 6, with the ever-popular Bibimbap Bowls! For those who have not heard about Globowl Dinners, they are gourmet meals served in bowls and prepared to order for each guest by our Executive Chef in the Restaurants at the Top of the CRUC.  Globowl Dinners are offered twice a month, and each one features different international cuisines. Globowl Dinners are served between 5 and 7 p.m., or until we are sold out. The price is $7.99, in addition to the regular price of admission for dinner.

For more information any of these Dining events, contact Rose Benedict, rbenedic@umw.edu or 540-654-2169.

 

 

Volunteers Needed for Holiday Dining Event, Dec. 5

Dining Volunteers Needed!

Holiday Volunteers Shannon Hauser, Jerry Slezak and Cartland Berge were very merry in their chef hats!

Very Merry Volunteer Servers

All members of UMW’s faculty and staff, and their friends and family members, are invited to join University Dining’s merry band of volunteer servers for one of the biggest dining events of the season: The free Exam Cram Ice Cream and Waffles event (9:30 to 10:30 pm on Monday, December 5th) at the Top of the Cedric Rucker University Center.

Get a group together from your office, bring members of your family (ages 12 and above), or just sign up as an individual.  No matter how you do it, you’re sure to have lots of fun, and the work is easy! Just put food on the plates of the excited and hungry students!  You’ll get free food, too!

Volunteers for each event are asked to work a 75-minute shift. To sign up, use this link to the Holiday Dining Volunteer form. Lots more information can be found on the form, but additional details are also available from Dining Marketing Manager and Concierge Rose Benedict, at rbenedic@umw.edu or 540-654-2169. Don’t miss out on these great opportunities to kick back, have fun and share some wonderful food with the students!

Faculty/Staff Thanksgiving Lunch, Nov. 17

Thanksgiving Lunch for Faculty and Staff

University Dining is hosting a Thanksgiving Lunch for members of UMW’s faculty and staff on Thursday, November 17th in the Chandler Ballroom of the CRUC from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.  This is a great opportunity to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal with your friends, family and co-workers in our lovely Chandler Ballroom.  Vegan and gluten-free options will also be available.

Space is limited, so guests are encouraged to pre-purchase tickets from the cashiers on the 4th floor of the CRUC.  Tickets will be available for purchase beginning Thursday, November 3rd at a cost of $8.50 for faculty and staff, $13 for other guests, or $6 for children ages 4 through 10.  There is no charge for children 3 and under.  On the day of the event, if space is available, guests can buy tickets at the door with credit cards.  Tickets can only be purchased with EagleOne accounts from the 4th floor cashiers.

For additional information, contact Rose Benedict, rbenedic@umw.edu, or call 540-654-2169.

UMW Serves Three-Course Dining-Service Success Story

Joye Thomas, Rigoberto Mendoza and Emily Bond

Joye Thomas, Rigoberto Mendoza, Emily Bond

University of Mary Washington’s Catering Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza was one of only 14 chefs featured in a June 17 front-page Food Management Magazine article about college dining chefs who made a difference over the last year. The next week, Food Management Magazine ran another front-page piece about college dining associates who also made a difference during the year. University Dining Senior Cook Emily Bond and Marketing Assistant Joye Thomas were two of only 22 people included in that showcase!

University Dining General Manager David Schneider said, “We’re very proud of Chef Rigo, Emily and Joye for getting this well-deserved recognition. They bring tremendous dedication, talent and heart to our dining operations, and we’re extremely pleased that Food Management Magazine gave some great national recognition to them, our dining team and the University of Mary Washington.” The following are excerpts from Food Management Magazine’s feature stories about college chefs and dining associates who made an impact last year.

Catering Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza

Catering Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza

Executive Chef Rigoberto Mendoza

One of 14 college dining chefs who made a difference.

“Rigoberto is a supremely talented chef who has invested tremendous time and effort into training his catering culinary team, as well as members of the resident dining culinary staff. He is known for his exceptional food and presentations, particularly those prepared for the president of the university and other VIP events, and he takes the time to share his knowledge and skill with the rest of his team. He is an innovator, creating custom recipes and menus for a broad range of dining events. He is extremely dedicated. Besides the many hours he spends on his catering events, he still provides great support to the rest of our dining operations. He does everything from cooking at our Campus Grill, to planning menus, to meeting with students, to washing dishes!”

University Dining Senior Cook Emily Bond

University Dining Senior Cook Emily Bond

Emily Bond, Senior Cook

One of 22 college dining associates who made a difference last year.

“Emily is one of the primary cooks for our resident dining program, and she is quick, efficient, and very skilled! She stays on top of everything, anticipating the needs of the various points of service, and ensuring that everyone has everything they need, from the beginning to the end of service. She’s very supportive of all her co-workers, hopping on any station whenever they need help. She’s especially good at preparing dishes for our special dining events, making sure they properly reflect the theme or ethnic culture of the event.”

Joye Thomas, Marketing Assistant

One of 22 college dining associates who made a difference last year.

University Dining Marketing Assistant Joye Thomas

University Dining Marketing Assistant Joye Thomas

“Joye serves on Fredericksburg’s Citizen Advisory Panel, where she is an advisor to the police and a liaison for the community. She took on this role because she wants to make a real difference in the world. After the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020, it became clear to her that change was needed in our community policing practices. She has been part of a taskforce that re-wrote the city police department’s directives on various issues, including the use of force. Joye was also elected by the city council and mayor of Fredericksburg to serve as a commissioner on the Fredericksburg Arts Commission, which is responsible for a multitude of arts initiatives. It awards grants to local artist and arts organizations, runs a sculpture program, coordinates First Friday celebrations and more!”

Dining Seeks Volunteers for Cram Jam

University Dining is seeking volunteer servers for their free Ice Cream Sundae “Cram Jam” event being offered to all UMW students on Monday, April 25, from 9 to 10:30 p.m. at the Top of the UC. The free “Cram Jam” events are offered every semester on the first night of exams by the dining team as a way to help students de-stress.

The theme for this semester’s event is 1950’s rock & roll! Volunteers will be scooping ice cream and serving French toast sticks to the students. They are asked to arrive at 8:45 p.m. and serve until 10:30 p.m. Dress is casual. Anyone interested in joining in the fun should e-mail Rose Benedict at rbenedic@umw.edu.

Summer Dining Hours

Campus Dining has resumed dining services at the Top of the University Center. Meals will be served Monday through Friday as follows: Breakfast 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Dinner 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. While menu options are scaled back for the summer, allergen-free selections and vegan or vegetarian entrees will still be offered at lunch and dinner.

For additional information on summer dining options, please contact Rose Benedict, Campus Dining Marketing Manager, at 540-654-2169 or rbenedic@umw.edu.

Dining Closing for Holiday

The Top of the UC will be closed on Thursday and Friday of next week (July 4th and 5th) for the Independence Day holiday. Summer dining hours will resume on Monday, July 8th. For additional information, please contact Rose Benedict at 540-654-2169 or e-mail dining@umw.edu.

Volunteers Needed for Exam Cram Breakfast

Campus Dining will be hosting “Exam Cram,” a free late-night breakfast for all UMW students on Monday, April 29th from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Over 700 students are expected to attend and volunteer servers are greatly needed. The event is very casual and lots of fun. Volunteers get free breakfast, too!

Volunteers are asked to arrive at 9:45 p.m. and serve until about 11 p.m. Anyone interested in participating should contact Rose Benedict at rbenedic@umw.edu or 540-654-2169.

Commencement Day Dining

Breakfast Options: On Commencement day (Saturday, May 11), Campus Dining will be offering “Grab & Go” breakfast items from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Qdoba dining area of the University Center.  Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and bottled water, juice and sodas will be available along with bagels, pastries, muffins, hot breakfast sandwiches and other snacks.

There will be four serving lines to help expedite service: (1) Express Drinks Line, accepting cash payments only; (2) Express Drinks and Pastry Line, accepting cash payments only; (3) Full menu accepting cash and credit; and (4) Full menu plus smoothies, accepting cash and credit.

Commencement Luncheon: A buffet lunch featuring hot Southern Fried Chicken, Mac & Cheese, a Vegetable & Quinoa Casserole, plus a variety of salads and desserts will be served from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Chandler Ballroom of the University Center.  Members of the UMW faculty and staff who have received e-mail tickets are asked to bring print-outs of the tickets with them to the luncheon.  If you do not have a hard copy of your ticket you will be asked to show your e-mail on your smart phone to the buffet hosts.

Anyone wishing to bring friends or family members to the luncheon will need to purchase tickets for them at the “Will Call” desk located in the second floor lobby of the University Center.  Tickets will be available for purchase on Saturday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at a cost of $13.75 plus tax for adults and $7.50 plus tax for children aged eleven or under. For additional information contact Rose Benedict at 540-654-2169 or rbenedic@umw.edu.

Free Health & Wellness Fair, March 20

UMW's Health & Wellness Fair will be held March 20.

UMW’s Health & Wellness Fair will be held March 20.

Campus Dining and the UMW Department of Human Resources are again co-sponsoring a free Health & Wellness Fair that is open to our campus and Fredericksburg communities.  The fair will be held on Wednesday, March 20, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the University Center.  The fair has grown so large that this year the vendors will be in the Chandler Ballroom and also on the second floor of the UC.

As in previous years, there will be representatives from area health care professionals; dance, fitness and athletic groups; massage therapists; vision and dental practices; senior care providers; food and beverage companies; and a multitude of support groups.  There will also be representatives present from our UMW partner financial and benefit planning institutions.

Free blood pressure and cholesterol checks, neck massages, and healthy beverage and snack samples will be available throughout the fair. There will be door prize drawings held every half hour beginning at 3:45 p.m. and continuing through 5:45 p.m. in the Chandler Ballroom.  Guests are asked to stop by the welcome desk in Chandler Ballroom first in order to pick up your door prize entry forms and guide on how to enter the drawings.

For additional information contact Rose Benedict in Campus Dining at 540-654-2169 or e-mail her at rbenedic@umw.edu.