Chartwells Monthly | January 2017
Student Success Program
Brings New Ideas to Campus
communication / executive message
letter from the ceo
table of
contents:
Ideas Take Shape Each day offers an opportunity to tap into our creativity and bring new ideas to life, and there is no better time to embrace this than with the start of a new year. From the moment I open my inbox in the morning to the moment I sign off for the day, I am continuously amazed by the stories that flood my email of associates who are using their ideas to bring unique and engaging experiences to our guests. At Chartwells Higher Education, it is our mission to treat every day as if it’s the first, making sure our guests stay engaged on campus through the Lisa McEuen use of fun and innovative promotions and community-building events. President & CEO, Supporting this mission are our people who strive to create “wow” moChartwells Higher ments on their campuses each and every day. This issue of Chartwells Education Dining Monthly celebrates ideas from all around the organization. From retail Services concepts built by our very own Student Success interns to seasoned associates who truly understand how to build campus community, our people are #differencemakers and have the potential to create lasting guest experiences. This year I encourage our associates to challenge themselves. Fresh ideas are floating around in abundance; stop and grab some, plant them well, and see what grows. Lisa McEuen President & CEO Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services
Celebrating Our People Texas State University Associates Gather For YouFirst Appreciation Event Lights, camera, action! On December 20, more than 20 chefs and managers assembled gift bags, set up a stage for music and prize giveaways, and prepared an annual feast for some 110 Chartwells at Texas State University hourly associates and their family members. Associates from SSC, another Compass sector on TSU’s San Marcos, Texas, campus, were also invited to participate in the festivities and fun. YouFirst Stars came colorfully waltzing in to participate in the Ugly Sweater Contest. Some were also armed with homemade desserts to compete for the chance to win the Associates’
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CHARTWELLSMONTHLY.COM | JANUARY 2017
Baking Contest. The culinary management team chose winners from more than 20 sweet submissions — cakes, pies, cookies and brownies. Winners of the Associates’ Baking Contest and the Ugly Sweater Contest each received a $50 YouFirst gift card. To boost spirits, RVP of the Mid-Central Region, Nadeem Zafar, and Regional Director, Jennifer Byrdsong, made an impromptu visit. Associates from each unit who really fostered the Blue Brand Pillar also received YouFirst certificates and gift cards. The YouFirst Associate Appreciation Gathering was one of the most celebrated parties on TSU’s campus.
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Letter from the CEO Celebrating Our People
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New Ideas on Campuses
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Student Success Internship Program
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Contact Chartwells
our people are #differencemakers
promotions & concepts / ideas
TASTE OF WAUKESHA: Dishes from Waukesha-area restaurants are a hit with students and staff at Carroll University.
STUDENT CHOICE: Students at Anderson University voted to bring the “Yo! Bowl” dining concept to campus for a semester.
New Dining Ideas Get Thumbs Up n Carroll University Teams Up With Local Businesses For “Taste Of Waukesha” Carroll University has teamed up with local Waukesha, Wisconsin, restaurants to make “Taste of Waukesha” a fast-growing, out-of-the-box spin on local promotion. Students and staff can use their campus ID cards to receive discounted meals at local restaurants and pay with Carroll Cash, a campus-tender method. To create awareness of these local businesses, increase dining satisfaction, and eliminate monotony within the dining halls, each month fare from alternating local restaurants is served at lunch in the Main Dining Room. Carroll University Dining Services provides that month’s featured restaurant with a $200 stipend and a list of grocery items to incorporate. The restaurant then prepares its entrée to their specifications, serving it to students and staff. Participating restaurants can promote their specials by talking them up with the guests. Students look forward to this creative sampling of dishes, and participating restaurants
introduce diners to their cuisine, providing a win-win situation for everyone.
n Student Choice Creates Buzz In East Central Region “Your food. Your vote.” That’s the mantra of the Student Choice concept, which has seen success in the East Central region. Anderson University, Illinois College and Tennessee Technological University have all launched full Student Choice retail concepts on their campuses. Student Choice puts students in the driver’s seat, encouraging them to create the dining experiences they want. Using a blend of in-store technology, such as iPads and smartphones, as well as hashtags, Twitter, Facebook, Poll Everywhere and Dine on Campus, students have the opportunity to communicate directly with Chartwells to express what they want to eat. Near the end of each semester, a list of concepts is posted and students vote for the concept they want to see offered the following semester.
citement and engagement to campus dining programs. Since the inception of Student Choice, customer satisfaction survey scores have increased, and engagement has been high — with roughly 50 percent of the meal-plan population voting. According to Anderson University Director of Dining, Kellie Short, “The Student Choice concept has been a great addition at Anderson University. It has given the students ownership in the program, and has opened up communication lines about dining in general. They are more frequently sharing feedback with us than they have in the past, which has been great.” “As students return from winter break to TTU, they will find their first student-voted concept and our team is really excited,” says Tennessee Technical University Director of Dining Services, Sam Holm. “It is a great concept, and it shows our students that we are listening!”
Student Choice creates a connection with guests, increases variety, and brings exJANUARY 2017 | CHARTWELLSMONTHLY.COM
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University of Miami Student Success intern Meagan Clements helped to develop the Burger 305 restaurant concept.
Student Success Internship Program Chartwells is committed to guiding students through their academic journey by offering a hands-on internship program that leads to opportunities for enhancement and growth.
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rom technology-based learning experiences to fostering high-level relationships where their voices are heard, Student Success is at the heart of our culture. We thrive on the energy and excitement our students bring to the program as we prepare them to join our organization. We offer student internships, which can help fast track job placement after graduation, in five business sectors: culinary, marketing, management, sustainability, and community wellness. The following Student Success stories highlight three of our stellar interns.
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Success program. Meagan was interested in learning more about how the marketing department functioned. Graduating in May 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology (and a minor in Creative Design), she began creating campaigns that stirred excitement campus-wide. In summer 2016, Meagan helped the UM dining team develop a brand-new concept that was introduced in fall 2016: Burger 305.
n Intern Meagan Clements Masters Marketing at UM
She continues to promote innovation on campus that resonates with guests, and looks forward to a possible future with Chartwells. We had the opportunity to sit down with Meagan and learn more about her experience as a Student Success intern.
Meagan Clements has been an integral part of the University of Miami Dining Services marketing team since January 2016. Initially coming to Chartwells as a graphic designer, the team quickly realized she would be a great fit in the Student
How accessible do you feel support and resources were during your Student Success internship? I am still to this day amazed at how open, approachable and supportive the UM Dining Chartwells team is. I feel as if
CHARTWELLSMONTHLY.COM | JANUARY 2017
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everyone genuinely wants to see me succeed and they are always willing to help me in any way possible.
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How did the Student Success Internship program help you with what you were learning in your classes? My internship gives me the opportunity to continually build my design, communication and teamwork skills — all of which are essential to my classes.
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How has your internship experience prepared you for your future career? My internship has given me a year (and counting) of interactive marketing experience. Amanda Armstrong (UM Dining’s Director of Marketing & Guest Experience) has been an amazing mentor in allowing me to dip my feet into so many different areas of the marketing department. I have gained experience in graphic design, social media marketing, retail concept development, and pointof-sale marketing. Additionally, I have learned valuable communication skills,
student success / ideas leadership and delegation skills, and team collaboration experience that will carry well into my future endeavors.
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You had the chance to design a retail concept at the University of Miami. How did you decide on this concept? There was an unsatisfied need on our campus for a delicious but affordable fast food-esque burger concept. Michael Ross, UM Dining’s RDM, came to Amanda and me wanting an original and unique retail location. I believe his exact words were “big, bold, and loud, so everyone knows exactly what it is just by looking at it.” Amanda and I sat in her office one day rattling off possible names (some good, some not-so-good) until we found one that perfectly combined the “obviousness” Mike wanted with a unique, personal connection to the University of Miami.
n Quinnipiac Builds Opportunities Beyond The Classroom Last semester, marketing interns Caitlin Cryan and Travis Dunham joined the support team at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. These students have been pivotal in the successful implementation of Chartwells’ initiatives as well as developing original marketing campaigns and programs that really resonate with their peers. Caitlin and Travis’s unique perspective has helped tailor the marketing program to the Quinnipiac students and their needs. They designed promotional materials for the “Chat with Chuck” series, and attended monthly student round tables with the RDM. This dynamic duo also created the “What’s New,” “Dare to Compare Price Comparison,” and the “Best Time to Dine to Avoid the Line” campaigns. “What’s New” campaign highlighted new campus dining enhancements and renovations. “Best Time to Dine to Avoid the Line” campaign helped students determine optimum hours to eat at the most popular dining facility to dodge long lines. These best practices are now available to the
region, and they have inspired similar marketing programs at other campuses. Always up for the next challenge, Caitlin and Travis rolled up their sleeves and helped with public relations. They hosted the campus’ food samplings, highlighting the monthly “Superfood” and “Home for the Holidays” pies, and they helped university Residential Life staff judge a monthly “Food Lovers’ Recipes from Home” contest. These busy interns also managed the “YouFirst #socialstars employee spotlight” campaign, monthly YouFirst Awards, and social media accounts. They conducted face-to-face guest satisfaction surveys, which included traveling to Southern Connecticut State University and Sacred Heart University. Ultimately, these talented students have gained real-world experience, which includes Marketing Boot Camp training and implementing the campus marketing program. This internship has been mutually beneficial for the students and the Quinnipiac team. “Travis and Caitlin have been instrumental to understanding and connecting to our student population,” says Resident District Manager, Chuck Couture. “Their great energy and excitement has helped us provide an engaging campus dining program at Quinnipiac University.”
Student Success interns Travis Dunham and Caitlin Cryan have developed several creative and successful marketing campaigns at Quinnipiac University.
As the Director of Student Success for Chartwells, I am so excited to see all of the great contributions our interns are making to our teams in the field. From designing retail concepts to leading cooking demonstrations for their peers, our interns balance schoolwork with professional development on a daily basis and that is truly admirable.“
– Bari Marchfeld, Director of Student Success
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Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services • 2 International Drive, Rye Brook, NY 10573 Media interested in any additional details for content published in Chartwells Monthly can contact Meredith Bracken. Meredith.Bracken@compass-usa.com Phone: 914-935-5326 Web: www.ChartwellsHigherEd.com • www.ChartwellsMonthly.com • www.DineOnCampus.com Privacy and Terms of Use All content © Chartwells USA. © 2017 Compass Group USA, Inc. All rights reserved. Chartwells Monthly production by: Kaleidoscopic, Inc. www.kaleidoscopicinc.com
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