Students in COVID seclusion give positive feedback to Dining Services

Penn College's Dining Services staff has been collectively called an "essential hero" for preparing and providing nourishment to students cloistered by the coronavirus.

"We have delivered just over 2,500 meals since Aug. 5 – continuously – to 380 affected students in isolation and quarantine on campus," director Mark J. Leo said Monday.



The single-day high mark is 99 meals.

The department makes it convenient, through its GET app, for off-campus students to use their dining plans and have friends pick up and contactlessly deliver meals.

"We also take orders and make deliveries for additional snacks, food and toiletry items students may need from Fuel (the convenience store in Dauphin Hall)," he said.

Leo said it takes a "complete team effort to make this happen":

• Office assistant/marketing managers track and record meals in the department's computerized system


• Managers, supervisors and cooks prepare and expedite orders


• Dining Service workers pack and organize meals


• Residence Life staff keeps the “Student Tracker” organized and up to date, as the list of students receiving meals changes daily


• Athletics coaches help daily by making deliveries

Deliveries are made by golf cart, seven days a week, and distributed from the Keystone Dining Room and Capitol Eatery – including a Thanksgiving meal on Thursday.

Photos provided