Foodie Friday Highlights Diverse Cuisines

Community outreach has never tasted so good. Through the new Foodie Friday social media initiative, students are encouraging others to explore the local food scene.

Once a month, the Carlson Out-reach Ambassadors take over the school’s Instagram to highlight a different restaurant and review its dishes. Stops at the Lucky Dragon, Oasis Mediterranean Grill, and Hard Times Cafe have featured the wide range of cuisines available on the campus’ West Bank. “We want to highlight the community
and the Cedar-Riverside area is super diverse and big, and we want to make sure that the places we are going showcase the people here,” says Jeff Williams, the school’s coordinator for diversity pathway initiatives and community partner- ships and the staff coordinator for the Carlson Outreach Ambassadors. 

Christina Zheng, a junior in the Undergraduate Program, visited the Lucky Dragon on her Foodie Friday.  “During our visit, we got to meet the owner and she was super sweet,” Zheng says. “It’s family owned and she’s run it for many decades now. Just a very colorful and fun environment.” 

This engagement is just one way the Carlson Outreach Ambassadors build ties with the wider community. They also work with area public schools and groups to encourage students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue business education and careers. When it comes to outreach, Zheng says it’s all about connection.