(Posted April 5, 2018)

Juniata College has contracted Parkhurst Dining to manage its dining services and catering operations. The contract with Parkhurst is the first change in the College’s dining services provider in more than 30 years.

A committee of faculty, staff, and students issued a request for proposals to food service providers and reviewed proposals from different companies before reaching a decision to contract with Parkhurst in late March.

“We believe the values Parkhurst shows in its approach to providing food service—local food sourcing, fresh preparation, and sensitivity to the varied needs of contemporary diners—match well with Juniata’s values,” says Juniata President James A. Troha. “We are delighted to have a partner with such a positive commitment.”

A family-operated company, Parkhurst Dining is a division of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa. Parkhurst has been recognized with awards from Food Management Magazine, the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, The American Culinary Federation, FoodService Director Magazine and others for its dining service management, commitment to high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and a fresh approach to food preparation. With specialization in private college and university food services and corporate dining, Parkhurst also is committed to sustainability and high client satisfaction.

Parkhurst Dining is passionate about creating authentic food and flavors that are handcrafted, locally-sourced and personally designed by their chefs for guests. A leader in the dining industry when it comes to sustainability, Parkhurst has been a pioneer in the farm to table movement since 2002, when they developed their FarmSourceTM program. The program finds and partners with the finest, local, family-owned farms and producers of food in the communities for which they serve.

Students will notice changes on their return for the fall semester. For one, students will have an inclusive meal plan. Juniata had offered a range of different plans, all predicated on the assumption that students would eat meals. Given that student athletes may need different snack options throughout the day, or students with different health situations may choose other dining options to meet their needs, inclusive plans provide greater flexibility for all students to have greater control over their personal nutrition and health.

“Parkhurst understands that students value flexibility and options,” says Larry Orr, Parkhurst’s vice president of operations, higher education. “Our service is built on a commitment to providing fresh and sustainable options to meet a variety of student needs, and to ensure that students have access to those resources on their own schedule.”

The College’s main dining facility, Baker Refectory, located in Ellis Hall, will remain open from early morning until late evening with the new change. Meals and snacks will be available as well as space to study or gather.

Parkhurst is also known for its excellence in assembling vegetarian, vegan, and plant-forward fare as well as its offerings from a variety of cultural traditions both in regular campus dining outlets as well as in its catering operations.

Baker Refectory is open to students as well as to the general public who may wish to eat on Juniata’s campus. Individuals can purchase meals with cash or credit cards.  

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.