Food Service Operations and Sustainability
The food service operations and sustainability program is suspending enrollment to the major beginning spring 2020. Please feel free to contact the department with any questions.
Program description
This program emphasizes knowledge of food preparation and service and management of food service operations and provides a unique concentration in sustainable food systems. The flexible curriculum allows students to develop expertise in several areas related to the food service field. Graduates of the food service operations and sustainability program pursue supervisory and management positions in commercial food facilities, long-term care facilities, hospital food service departments, corporate food service, hotels and resorts, governmental food agencies, school food service, and sales positions in food distribution and equipment manufacturing. All students in the program will be certified by the National Restaurant Association's ServSafe Management program prior to graduation from WMU.
Advising
The College of Education and Human Development advising office assists students in planning their studies.
Classes
For class listings, program guides and other resources, visit the advising page for the food service operations and sustainability program.
Faculty
- Rob Zimmer: Part-time faculty
Careers
- Beverage managers
- Camps
- Catering managers
- Colleges and universities
- Company cafeterias
- Correctional facilities
- Directors of purchasing or food service sales
- Hospitals
- Hotels
- Military bases
- Restaurant managers
- Restaurants
- Schools
Alumni
Alumnus Patrick Mixis (BS ‘14, Food Service Administration), is helping to feed the world with each meal served out of his restaurant Feed The World Café located in Oshetemo, Michigan. (View full story)
Student Organization
The Campus Beet
An educational group focusing on students' healthy living through fresh, local, sustainable diet.
Check them out on:
Experience WMU
Facebook
Advisory Board members
Chris Broadbent - Coordinator with Eastern Market and Detroit Community Markets
Norman Carlson - Naturally Norm's on Carlson Farms
Grant Fletcher - Director Food and Nutrition Services, Bronson Methodist Hospital
Lu DeBoef - Program Manager Waste Reduction, WMU Office of Sustainability
Judy Gipper - Director, WMU Dining Services
Gurdeep Singh - Singh Automation
Sam Kline - WMU Associate Director of Applied Solutions
Bob Lewis - Managing Partner Millennium Restaurant Group
Gretchen Kauth Morin - Coordinator Nutrition Services Sindecuse Health Center
Field experience/internship
The Professional Experience Program allows students to extend their academic work with on-the-job training in restaurant and catering businesses and at institutional food service sites. The program is supervised by WMU faculty in cooperation with management personnel in the field.
FCS 2020 field experience (three credits)
Food service operations and sustainability majors earn three credits toward graduation by completing 300 hours of supervised field experience. Field experience offers students the opportunity to apply theories and principles from their academic program to real world situations, as well as gain valuable work experience. Field experience may be completed during the fall, spring or summer sessions.
FCS 4290 internship (three to six credits)
Food service operations and sustainability majors may elect to complete an internship as part of their program of study. Internships provide students with management-level training experience with leading industry firms during the late-junior or senior year. Faculty approval and late-junior or senior standing are prerequisites for enrollment for internship credit.
To plan a field experience or internship, contact Ms. Kelly Weathers.