Food for thought

As any good student knows and any good teacher will tell you, you only get out what you put in. It’s an axiom shared by many institutes of higher learning, where it’s understood that how students nourish themselves can make a big difference to their education.

This is why so many colleges and universities – not to mention businesses, healthcare and government facilities – partner with Sodexo Campus for food services and facilities management. It is an industry leader that provides nutritious meals and comfortable spaces for students across the United States.

In New York, Sodexo Campus has partnered with the State University of New York (SUNY) to keep students energized and engaged. It’s a relationship Vice President of Operations, Tim MacTurk, is more than proud of.

“The true partnerships are where we collaborate,” he tells The CEO Magazine. “We have an overall SUNY mission, but each campus is unique, and how we collaborate with each responds to their specific needs and challenges.

“We co-design our offerings with the campuses. We listen to students, to leadership and make sure we get the feedback loop right.”

One of the results of this is a series of new, allergen-aware menus that put plant-based options forward.

“We have a pilot concept called Mediterra – Mediterranean fare that’s gotten rave reviews because it’s culturally relevant, customizable and has a mobile ordering component,” he reveals. “It basically hits on all of today’s student expectations.”

Fueling future leaders

A lifelong New Yorker, MacTurk understands how important SUNY is to the state.

“It’s the engine that feeds all of our future leaders across the state,” he says. “So how we make our impact in that community is crucial to us.

“I love our partnership with SUNY. My daughter will be a graduate of a SUNY school, so it gives me great joy that I’m able to serve in this capacity.”

A sizable amount of Sodexo Campus’ energy is poured into building communities and not just on campus. In return, MacTurk believes his company’s growth is its own reward.

“I think we earn the right to grow by the impact we make in the community,” he reflects.

“Our mission at Sodexo Campus is to impact the every day of those we serve, including the company’s global movement to end hunger, so we do a lot of work in the community around raising funds, raising awareness and making sure we’re rallying the community to eradicate hunger across the state.

“Ultimately, our goal is to do so across the nation.”

The organization’s considerable purchasing muscle makes it easy to avoid any red tape or roadblocks typically associated with food purchasing in the state of New York.

“We can meet and exceed the regulations in place and help the local economy. I have a real passion for that,” MacTurk adds.

Pipeline for success

Also benefiting from the company’s success is the Sodexo team on the SUNY campuses, including a number of students from the very campuses in which the business operates.

“We’re providing those students with great experience, and a lot of times they’ll even change their pathway,” MacTurk says.

“One student at SUNY Oneonta started as a student worker, became a student supervisor and then a student manager. She didn’t go to school for dining, but once she graduated, she kept working with us and now she’s our General Manager in Dining.”

MacTurk says these opportunities can extend globally in certain cases.

“We have a global internship program where two students work abroad in Sodexo Campus’ offices each summer,” he says. “This year they’re going to post-Olympics Milan, and that’s exciting, because they’ll come back so energized.

“If you think about it, dining is a major student touchpoint. We really shape how students feel on the campuses we serve.

“Sometimes we can recognize where students are struggling, so some friendly engagement with a member of our staff can be critically important. Our team knows how to focus on the moments that matter.”

Again, this works both ways: there’s a recognition program in place that allows students to recognize Sodexo Campus staff for their work.

“Maybe they’ve had a tough week, and just a smile and a friendly moment of engagement can mean so much, so we’ve given them a way to honor that,” he explains.

“We spend a lot of time talking to our team about providing hospitality focused on moments that matter.”

MacTurk says that as a local, the personal touch is something he appreciates.

“One of the things I love most is that I’m empowered to do what’s right for local communities and that starts at the top with Sodexo – our leadership understands the impact we can make with that personal connection,” he says.