Liberty Dining Scholarship Paper December 3, 2021

Elaine Webb
Liberty Dining already does an incredible job offering some activities and events outside
of the specific dining locations. I love getting the surprise of samples on the academic lawn
every now and then. But, I’m not the only student who has commented on the issue of food
waste and trash in our dining locations. Yes, Sodexo has signs up all over campus and dining
locations promoting the positive sustainability and function of the dining services, but all we see
are posters. There are no recycling stations inside the main Rebert-Thomas Dining Hall that are
easily visible. We are told that all the disposable utensils and dishes are biodegradable, but how
do we know for sure? I work at Argo Tea and while the entire company is promoting purpose in
every calorie and that our products biodegrade, we throw away incredible amounts of food every
night and all of our plasticware becomes too dirty to save for composting. Our country and
world are already filled with so many lies, it's easy for students to fear being lied to and therefore
do not respect companies who are trying to show efforts of positive changes. To lead by
example is to lead with humility and honor and most importantly, to lead with understanding that
all of this is for the glory of God and not of man.
One of my main ideas that might help students get more interested in sustainability and
trusting Sodexo to continue to be an environment-conscious brand would be to include new
composting stations in and around campus dining locations. Not everything can be recycled or
composted, but the banana peel and the apple core that is thrown into the trash every day could
instead be thrown into an airtight sealed container. That container then at the end of the day
could be compiled into a large composting station. Once we can start to make fresh, nutritious
soil, that earth can be moved all over campus to help fertilize our beautiful flowers, trees, and
other plants. Not only would it help beautify the campus long term, but students would feel like
they are playing an active part in caring for the campus we are living in. Once you build solid
trust with those you are serving and serving with, you can better understand each other’s value.
The best way I think to help employees feel secure in their job and their work-skills is to
promote and encourage well thought-out events for employees. It does not have to be a large
gesture but I would personally love to have an event where I could get to know the Sodexo staff
all across campus, not just in the library where I work. When we can start building those
connections more regularly, all of us as staff and teammates can begin to relate to one another
and find community even in long hours and stressful shifts. Perhaps not everyone would be
interested in attending, but by seeing those who attend, we can be reminded of who is ready to
put more in the job than just the basics; who is there is love and serve others with a glad heart. A
lot of us are hard on our luck financially but that makes us willing to work hard to gain back
every cent. Being shown appreciation for that hard work and effort can make a person’s whole
day. When coworkers can see that their bosses and supervisors fully support and are
encouraging of them, they are more inclined to work harder. As humans, we want to be seen as
good and doing good work. That is hard in a world of the best of the best. All we want is a
chance to be seen and loved.
 At the end of the day, Sodexo already does a good job to reach out to both employees and
students to build trust and relationships and promote good lifestyles with food. I’m thankful to
be at a good job on campus and I will continue to do my best everyday to share the love of Christ
to all those I encounter. My only wish is to improve and to encourage my teammates to do their
best every day out of love. I can only trust that all the other employees yearn to do the same.
But through changes of showing effort in sustainability and encouraging our coworkers, I think a
little goes a long way.