Dining in Style
On January 2, returning cadet leadership ate dinner in our brand-new Dining Hall, with sophomore Phoebe McCarthy being the first to go through the service line. The entire Corps of Cadets had eagerly anticipated making the move to this modern environment for chow.
Facilities Director Dan Sumlin reports that this was a large project with a one-year goal for completion from start to finish. “Everyone involved from our legislature, Alabama Community College System leadership, architects, contractor and sub-contractors stepped up to ensure that the project was successfully completed on-time and happy to report under-budget. The positive impact of this facility will be felt for decades to come,” he says.
Sage Dining’s Senior Food Service Director Robin Hale and Executive Chef Seaborn Whatley understand that high-quality campus dining is a key component of not only attracting students but retaining students—and this beautiful new building provides plenty of seating for cadets to socialize and enjoy delicious meals.
“The team members and I are in love with the dining facility. It’s like the excitement you feel when moving into a new house,” says Hale. “The team has always taken pride in the meals that we serve each day, but I believe they have upped their game with us being in the new space.”
A $12.8 Million project, the dining hall marks the first new construction on campus in more than 30 years. Designed by Davis Architects and built by Amason Construction, the 17,330-square-foot space features a host of upgrades:
- Seating up to 500 at one meal with two serving lines and freestanding buffet counter
- Private dining room equipped with audio/visual, which can be opened up to the main dining room
- Special event space for 100+ with catering support
- Energy-efficient building systems
- Covered porch with outdoor seating overlooking the campus green
- Fully handicap-accessible
