Mercer students dining in the Fresh Food Company might notice a fresh coat of paint and some new dining options, but that's just one aspect of the plans in place to revamp Mercer Dining.
Aramark and Mercer Dining have increased their advertising for student employment this year, and they are aiming to hire more members of the Mercer community.
“Student employment has always been a major platform for Aramark,” said Shonda Lewis, a marketing coordinator for Mercer Dining. “This year, we’ve enhanced our marketing and advertising outreach to ensure all students know about this prospect for on-campus employment.”
Nine students are currently employed with Aramark in various roles, ranging from cashiers to paid interns.
According to Lewis, there are innumerable opportunities available to students who work at Aramark. She says students can gain greater financial security, develop time management skills, gain valuable work skills and employment experience and develop professional relationships that can lead to future letters of recommendation.
Hiring students is also beneficial to Aramark and Mercer Dining.
“Students often bring energy, enthusiasm and the ability to offer new ideas and perspectives to the workplace,” Lewis said.
This year is Aramark’s 30th anniversary with Mercer’s Macon campus, and the company is dealing with a lot of the same problems that have plagued restaurants in the U.S recently.
Macon has been among the many cities in the U.S affected by the labor shortage in the food service industry. On Sept. 14, a Barberitos in Macon temporarily reduced their hours after a sign was posted to their door stating that their entire staff had quit due to low pay and lack of appreciation.
It appears that this has also affected Mercer's campus. Einstein’s Bros Bagels on the Macon campus was temporarily closed Sept. 12 due to staff shortage, according to a notice posted to Mercer Dining’s Instagram page.
“With 12 retail and residential dining locations, plus game concessions, there is a constant need for additional employees,” Lewis said.
Aramark also offers opportunities post-graduation with their programs Step-Up 2 Leadership and Accelerate to Leadership.
Students interested in working for Aramark and Mercer Dining can apply at aramark.com/careers.
Samantha Homcy ‘23 is a junior at Mercer majoring in journalism and criminal justice. She has been working at The Cluster since her freshman year and served as Social Media Co-Manager during the spring 2021 semester. She is currently a practicum intern with WMAZ-TV. In her free time she enjoys music, community service, watching TV and finding new ways to get involved on Mercer’s campus.
