During the past 11 years, the director of Campus Dining Services at Illinois State University, Arlene Hosea, has brought about changes that have revolutionized dining for students and staff.
On Jan. 1, Hosea retired after 24 years of service at ISU.
She has had a busy career, enacting changes to improve the student dining experience.
Bringing about the new meal plans with the unlimited access of food and many renovations to dining buildings are among her best achievements, Hosea said.
However, she is most proud of something that is not so easily recorded.
“Just being able to work in an environment where people bring their talents to work every day and enjoy and care about students who attend ISU … I’m proud to be a part of an environment like that,” she said.
A notable instance in her career was during the 2006 renovation of Linkins dining center.
Without a dining center at the time, they fed students in the Horton Field House, calling it Linkins on Location.
“That’s probably one of the most creative and risky things I’ve ever done,” Hosea said.
Throughout her career she continued to work hard for students’ benefit.