Bumpers College Students Share Class Project With Residents of Seven Hills Shelter

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The “Innovation Café” class includes (first row, L to R) Arlene Guevara, Karen Feagin, Mary K. Hartley, Katelynn Cassidy and Julianna Rak; (second row, L to R) Jessica McCoy, Melanie Grubb, Jessica Wilson, Rose Faherty and Hayley Mitcham; (third row, L to R) Zach Cronin, Chris Hussein, Miranda Smith, Michael Wilson and Mitchell Zimmerman; and (fourth row, L to R) Dylan Martinez, Nolan Fall, Christine Eckert and instructor Allen Powell.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Students from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas got into the holiday spirit by recently sharing a class project with residents at Fayetteville’s Seven Hills Shelter.

Students in the “Innovation Café” class, which is part of the food, human nutrition and hospitality curriculum, prepared and delivered taco soup to the shelter.

The class of 18 is led by instructor Allen Powell. This is the first year that students have provided a meal to the shelter.

 “We made enough taco soup to feed 50 people,” said Powell. “We also baked cookies for residents at the shelter and for the Full Circle Campus Food Pantry. The students voted on what we would do with the food.”

The class is a partnership with Chartwell’s Food Service on campus and focuses on developing innovative and new food product ideas for University Food Service. Food products introduced by students include chorizo gorditas, deep-fried Hawg Dogs with a sweet and spicy tomato relish, and a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Powell said Chartwell’s donated the beef required for the taco soup and the project extended beyond the kitchen for his class.

 “Students were able to develop new recipes and food products, and learn how to cook in a certain quantity,” he said. “Plus, they were able to give back to our community.”

Formally known as Issues and Trends in Hospitality, the class will work with Chartwell’s next semester on creating new food service concepts.

For more information about the hospitality and restaurant management program, contact Robert Harrington, who holds the 21^st Century Endowed Chair in Hospitality.