The National Association of College & University Food Services honored the contributions of four individuals with its annual awards and recognized the culinary excellence of collegiate dining chefs via its annual competition. The organization also recognized member institutions with the Grand Prizes for its Loyal E. Horton Dining, Nutrition and Sustainability Awards.
Culinary Challenge
Chef Ruth Dubon of Brigham Young University was the first-place winner of the NACUFS 2025 Culinary Challenge. Representing the continental region, Dubon, sous chef at BYU, won first place and received an American Culinary Federation gold medal, too. In second place, Chef Jason Hilgers of Northwestern University also took an ACF gold medal. More than 30 collegiate chefs from around the country competed in six regional contests during March and April, with each winner advancing to the final.
Dining and Sustainability Awards
The following NACUFS members were named grand prize winners of the Loyal E. Horton Awards, which “recognize operational excellence and innovation in dining.” The 2025 grand prize winners in nine categories are:
- Cal Poly: Innovative Dining Program of the Year and Outreach & Education Program of the Year
- Boston College: Catering Program of the Year
- Brigham Young University – Hawaii: Residential Special Event of the Year
- Duke University: Retail Sales: Single Concept of the Year
- University of Florida: Renovation of the Year
- University of Pittsburgh: Residential Dining Facility of the Year
- University of Texas: Catering Special Event of the Year
- Washington and Lee University: Employee Development Program of the Year
In addition, University of Maryland and University of North Carolina – Charlotte earned Grand Prizes for the NACUFS Nutrition Awards. And University of Vermont and Georgia State University earned Grand Prizes in NACUFS Sustainability Awards.
Gold, silver, and bronze awards in each category were announced earlier this year in June.
Service Awards
NACUFS presented the Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service Award to Kirk D. Rodriguez, senior director of hospitality services and student union and activities for Texas Tech University.NACUFS presented the Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service Award to Kirk D. Rodriguez, senior director of hospitality services and student union and activities for Texas Tech University. Rodriguez has spent more than 30 years in collegiate dining, including serving as NACUFS president from 2019-2021. The senior director of hospitality services and student union and activities at Texas Tech, Rodriguez has served the TTU community in progressive leadership roles since 1994 when he started as an assistant dining manager. Among his many accomplishments, Rodriguez helped launch the Burkhart Café, a vocational training site operated in partnership with the Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research and developed a cook certification program to support culinary career pathways within his team.
In addition, NACUFS honored the contributions of three members for their service to the organization.
Ginnie Dunleavy, executive director of auxiliary services at Rhode Island School of Design, and treasurer of the NACUFS board of trustees, received the 2025 Richard Lichtenfelt Award. The award honors an individual who has provided “outstanding contributions to NACUFS at the national level.”
Matt Obergfell, non-commercial northeast business development manager at Hormel Foods, received the 2025 Daryl Van Hook Industry Award, which honors an industry member “who has provided educational support, product innovation, and outstanding service to the association.”
Mark Kraner, retired assistant vice president/executive director for campus retail operations at George Mason University, received the David R. Prentkowski Distinguished Lifetime Member Award. The award honors retired leaders in the field who have supported the betterment of college and university foodservices.
