The Michael A. Leven School of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality program is a unique approach to the study of culinary and hospitality management, transcending the traditional culinary arts or hospitality management curricula to incorporate and infuse the study of sustainable best practices employed around the world, emphasizing areas such as food science, nutrition, agroecology, and resource conservation as well as essential business skills/abilities. This highly relevant degree program offers graduates a competitive advantage through experiential learning in the epicenter for teaching, research, and best practices in sustainable culinary and hospitality management.
“Regardless of their major – whether it's the World Cuisines, Basic Skills, Beverage Management, Nutrition, or Viticulture and Vinification (winemaking) – students find that the knowledge, skills, and abilities they learn in our classes are transferrable to their own fields. It is exciting to have students from all over the campus in our classes; the diversity makes for a richer learning environment for everyone and builds the sense of community among our students,” said the program’s director, Dr. Christian Hardigree.
In addition to traditional internship opportunities, students may
also complete internships in KSU’s award-winning,
Gold-LEED-certified dining facility – The Commons – as well
as eight other retail establishments on campus. Awarded the
National Restaurant Association’s “2013 Innovator of the Year
Award” and the Operator Innovations Award for
Sustainability, The Commons farms more than 65 acres of farmland for KSU’s
farm-to-campus-to-farm program and maintains 28 honeybee hives for honey
production. The Commons regularly implements new practices and technologies in sustainable food production, including composting, vermicomposting, hydroponics, recycling cooking oil for bio-fuel, water reclamation, and more.
by Loretta Daniels
According to Hardigree, the partnership with Culinary Services is a unique and unparalleled collaboration that gives students experiential learning opportunities in a facility that is a leader in sustainable food service. “This provides our graduates with a competitive advantage
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Ophelia Santos, Thorir Erlingsson, and Jessica Avasthi