Hallie Lauer | Layout Editor
11/07/17
The Hogan Dining Center, better known to most Duquesne students as simply “Towers,” has earned the Live Well Allegheny Restaurant Distinction.
This distinction is not just an award for colleges, but for any restaurant in the county, as part of an initiative to make Allegheny County the “healthiest county in the nation,” according to the Live Well Allegheny Campaign website.
The Live Well Allegheny Campaign heavily emphasizes on their website that creating the healthiest county takes collective action. The campaign started in 2014 and originally focused on obesity prevention and physical activity promotion, according to its website. In the future, however, they hope to add involvement from all over the county, including the 43 school districts within the borders of Allegheny County.
“Live Well Allegheny in particular shows a commitment to health and wellness, which our dining team continually strives to enhance. Whether it’s through collaborative programs with the University’s recreation and intramurals department, nutritional education or feedback from any of our food committees, we are always looking for ways to engage with our campus population and positively impact the student experience,” Scott Richards, vice president of auxiliary services said. “Being recognized for a commitment to providing healthy dining options further supports our efforts for the campus community.”
Duquesne’s dining hall has achieved this distinction due to “[Duquesne’s] ongoing commitment to scratch cooking, using trans-fat free cooking oils, and our vegan and vegetarian menu program. Additionally, this year Hogan Dining Center proudly added a new Fresh Fruit and Yogurt bar to our everyday service,” Dave Manz, resident district manager for Parkhurst Dining, said.
Manz added that the Fresh Fruit and Yogurt bar was actually an idea requested by a student.
The project for Duquesne to considered a partner with the Live Well Allegheny Campaign was headed by Dr. Karen Hacker, who is the director of the Allegheny County Health Department. She contacted Manz who then completed a survey outlining the dining program and daily features of the Hogan Dining Center, according to Manz.
In the last year Hogan Dining Center has also earned a place in the Top 75 Best Colleges for Food from The Daily Menu for the third consecutive year, a Gold Certificate from Sustainable Pittsburgh and a Dean’s List A+ rating for Vegan Dining.
“Awards and designations like these confirm our commitment to providing a quality program with a daily focus on healthy dining to positively impact the student and campus experience at Duquesne,” Manz said.
Gabriella DiPietro contributed reporting.
