Fresh for the Spring 2023 semester, The Office of Student Engagement (OSE) are hosting their “What’s for Lunch with OSE,” a monthly event that provides a buffet of themed foods for students and staff. A hit from the start, the Office of Student Engagement helps students celebrate holidays and their cuisine.
Starting in January, the Lunar New Year was highlighted as the first “What’s for Lunch with OSE”, which was celebrated with Asian cookery. February featured Mardi Gras with cuisine that is emphasized during that electric time, such as chicken gumbo, hush puppies, southern rice and beans, and more.
Having these themed meals is crucial towards campus environment and providing food for all. Some students may have trouble accessing food, so offering a buffet once a month helps campus promote a welcoming and safe environment.
Having this lunch in the afternoon also ensures that commuter students can take part in events.
Morgan Vasquez, a sophomore health science student, commented, “I think these free lunches are important. As a commuter student, there aren’t many events going on during the day and it’s nice to have some targeted towards commuter students. I also enjoy “What’s for Lunch with OSE” because it’s a day where I don’t have to use a meal swipe.”
The goal of the monthly event is to be more inclusive and collaborate with other organizations on campus. Mustafa Sabuur, the Assistant Director of Student Engagement, said, “When we began planning out events for the spring semester, one of our goals was to have more daytime programming. It allows us to collaborate with others and to be more inclusive. March’s program will be a collaboration with the Intercultural Center, celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans (APIDA).”
Sabuur continued, “I believe this program allows students the chance to enjoy themselves, while also getting free food (who doesn’t love free food). What’s fun about each event is that it’s a different menu each time and it allows for us to be creative. I’m excited to see what we can do in the future with this program and seeing the students coming out and enjoying.”
