About Us
We offer a variety of selections daily to accommodate students’ needs. We realize every person has different preferences, and we strive to provide every student with healthy and enjoyable meal choices. An operation’s culture personifies and personalizes a team’s existence.Ìý It offers feeling, caring, emotion, enthusiasm and passion for its mission.
Our Mission
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College Dining, Conferences and Campus Events supports the college mission by transforming dining and events into spaces for learning, connection, and community. We foster collaboration and growth by providing locally sourced, expertly prepared food. We are committed to student, faculty, staff, and alumni success while serving as responsible stewards of our environment.
An Award Winning Team
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College Dining Services’ high standards and commitment to excellence have earned us recognition for a jobÌýwell done!
- 2026: Niche, Rated #7 Best College Food Service!
- 2025: D3 Direct, Rated #1 D3 Dining Hall!
- 2025: Rated #6 food service in the nation by theÌý!
- 2025: Niche, Rated #6 Best College Food Service!
- 2024: Niche, Rated #7 Best College Food Service!
- 2023: Niche, Rated #1 Best College Food Service !
- 2022: Niche, Rated #6 Best Food Service!
- 2021: Niche, Rated #10 Best Food Service!
- 2020: Niche, Rated #5 Best Food Service!
- 2016-2017: Niche, A+ for campus food!
- 2013-2017: Green Restaurant Association – 3 Star Certified
- * The institution moved to AASHE (Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) Rating System for Sustainability. The AASHE Rating is TBD.
- 2009-2012: Green Restaurant Association – 2 Star Certified
- 2007: American Culinary Federation Maine Chapter, Inc. – Associate Member of the Year
- 2005: Princeton Review – #7 of 351 Colleges for Great Food!
- 2004: Princeton Review – #10 of 351 Colleges for Great Food!
- 2003: United States Environmental Protection Agency – Best Management Practices for our Composting Program
- 2002: Green Restaurant Association, ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College Dining was the first College to become a member
- 2001: National Wildlife Federation – Leading School on their Report Card on Environmental Performance and Sustainability in Higher Education
- 2000: Stanton Environmental Award for Advancing the Goal of the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Green Action Plan
- 2000: Best of the Best Earth Day ReNew America National Award for Sustainability – category of waste prevention / recycling
- 1999: Special recipient of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Award for Environmental Leadership
- 1999: National Award for Sustainability – Recognized for best practices that encourage environmental sustainability by ReNew America and the President’s Council on Sustainable Development
- 1998: Recognized in “Greening the Ivory Tower” (MIT Press, 1998) a book by Sarah Hammond Creighton on best environmental practices among colleges, universities and other institutions.
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ earned a Gold STARS rating and was in the top ten baccalaureate institution performers in the
To read more about sustainability at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, be sure to check out the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Sustainability website.Ìý
Dining Contacts
Christine Schwartz
Associate Vice President for Dining, Conferences and Campus Events
(207) 786-8279
cschwart@bates.edu
John Lajoie
Director of Dining
(207) 786-6052
jlajoie@bates.edu
Justin Good
Associate Director ofÌýFinance, Technology, and Staff Support
(207) 786-6118
jgood2@bates.edu
Michael Staffenski
Associate Director of Culinary and Retail Operations & Executive Chef
(207) 786-6334
mstaffen@bates.edu
Chris Davis
Assistant Director of Culinary Operations
(207) 786-6334
cdavis@bates.edu
Donald Desrosiers
Catering Manager
(207) 786-6298
ddesrosi@bates.edu
