Schools
Sodexo’s Campus Dining Programs Across Louisiana and Mississippi Earn Multiple NACUFS Honors
Loyola, East Mississippi CC, and Jones College received national honors for culinary creativity and student engagement.
NEW ORLEANS, LA — Sodexo’s campus dining programs at campuses across Louisiana and Mississippi earned major recognition at this year’s NACUFS awards, bringing home one GOLD and two SILVER honors for programs centered on culinary creativity, immersive guest experiences, and hands-on student development.
The award-winning entries came from Loyola University New Orleans, East Mississippi Community College, and Jones College, reflecting the Sodexo Louisiana & Mississippi District’s commitment to innovation and student engagement under the leadership of District Manager Phoebe Cook.
Loyola University New Orleans Wins GOLD for JASPA Institute 2025
Loyola University New Orleans earned GOLD in the Catering Special Event of the Year category for its execution of the 2025 JASPA Five-Year Institute, a five-day immersive culinary and cultural experience that welcomed more than 400 student affairs professionals from Jesuit institutions nationwide.
The achievement came with a significant operational challenge. Loyola’s campus dining facilities were under renovation, leaving the Sodexo team without access to an on-campus kitchen. Food preparation was handled off-site through a shared kitchen partnership with the Academy of the Sacred Heart, requiring detailed coordination between culinary, catering, and marketing teams.
Menus celebrated Louisiana cuisine with dishes including crawfish étouffée, shrimp creole, chicken andouille gumbo, alligator sauce piquant, BBQ Gulf shrimp with smoked gouda grit cakes, and interactive stations featuring yakamein, waffles, and French crepes.
The event transformed Loyola’s Sports Complex into a New Orleans festival-inspired environment complete with second line processions, live zydeco and jazz music, themed décor, and partnerships with iconic local businesses including Acme Oyster House, Hansen’s Sno-Bliz, Roman Candy, and Café du Monde.
“This was ambitious, and it required constant coordination, but our team never backed down,” said Chef Christopher Hustad, Executive Chef of Loyola Dining.
East Mississippi Community College Receives SILVER for “Learning Beyond the Lab”
East Mississippi Community College received SILVER in the Outreach & Education Program of the Year category for “Learning Beyond the Lab,” a partnership between EMCC Dining and the college’s Lion Hills Center that places culinary students directly into live dining operations.
Since 2022, the initiative has allowed students to move beyond classroom instruction and gain hands-on experience managing timing, communication, forecasting, and guest interaction during active meal service.
One of the program’s featured events, “Now Boarding: Destination Delizioso,” turned the dining hall into a large-scale culinary workshop where students managed menu planning, recipe scaling, station operations, and execution across multiple service areas.
The initiative also generated strong campus engagement. During Destination Delizioso, social media shares and reactions increased by 20%, while overall engagement climbed 103%.
The program’s long-term impact is reflected in Executive Chef Jeremy Dixon, who began as a student worker in 2014 before rising through the ranks and becoming EMCC Executive Chef in December 2025.
Jones College Earns SILVER for Resident Special Event of the Year
Jones College captured SILVER in the Innovative Dining Program of the Year category for “Trending Tuesdays,” a weekly activation inspired by viral food trends and shaped by student feedback.
Created by Executive Chef Chia “Andy” Wu and the Jones College dining team, the series transformed the Exhibition Station into a showcase for internet-inspired dishes including baked feta pasta, Flamin’ Hot Cheeto boudin balls, fried chicken “lollipops,” and Little Mac sliders.
The program emphasized interaction and customization, with self-serve garnish stations and direct engagement between dining staff and students to gather feedback and encourage participation.
Dining leadership connected the initiative to a “We Heard You” campaign that reinforced how student feedback was directly shaping campus dining experiences. Promotion included social media campaigns, newsletters, digital signage, and collaboration with Jones College Student Affairs.
The campaign produced measurable results, including a 44% increase in online engagement, an 80% increase in impressions, and a 13% increase in Tuesday guest counts during the series.
Together, the three honors reflect a regional emphasis on creativity, operational excellence, and student-centered programming, while demonstrating how campus dining can strengthen engagement, support career development, and create memorable experiences across higher education communities.
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