A Dining Hall, a Dietary Need, and a Decision to Leave Home

When Rodrigo Alvarado began researching colleges in the United States, he did what many prospective students do: he looked at academic programs, campus culture, scholarship opportunities. But what ultimately set one college apart wasn’t found in a brochure about majors or extra-curriculars. It was a dining station.

Specifically, the Simple Servings station at Rollins College.

For Alvarado, a 21-year-old student from Mexico City, Mexico, food is not simply a preference, it is a matter of health and safety. Years of dealing with adverse food reactions have left him spending much of his academic life navigating around menus that often felt like obstacles. The promise of a dedicated allergen-free dining station free of gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, and other common allergens was more than appealing. It was transformative.

“When I saw that Rollins had this station where I didn’t have to ask 10 questions before every meal, I knew I wanted to visit,” Alvarado said during a recent interview between classes. “And when I visited, I canceled the rest of my college tours because I felt something I hadn’t felt on any other campus—I felt safe.”

Simple Servings, located in the Cornell Campus Center’s main dining hall, is part of a national program designed to provide safe, balanced meals for students with food allergies or dietary restrictions. Rollins College, a liberal arts institution of about 3,000 students, was an early adopter of the program and has since earned praise for its inclusive dining philosophy.

The station, which is served by its own kitchen, is monitored by trained staff and features clearly labeled ingredients, ensuring that students like Alvarado can eat without the anxiety that often shadows food choices. Meals rotate throughout the day, offering options like herb-roasted chicken with seasonal vegetables, quinoa pilaf, or lentil stew, all prepared without cross-contamination.

“It’s the kind of detail that doesn’t always make it into college rankings, but it makes a world of difference for someone like Rodrigo,” said General Manager Cristina Cabanilla, who oversees campus dining operations. “Our goal is not just to feed students, but to support them holistically: body, mind, and health.”

Alvarado, now a sophomore majoring in biochemistry, said that Rollins’s approach to dining has made a profound difference in his college experience. He’s also become a kind of informal ambassador for the station, often guiding new students through the dining hall and answering questions about allergy-safe options.

“I didn’t expect food to play such a big role in my college story,” he said, smiling. “But now I realize it’s about more than food. It’s about inclusion, respect, and dignity.”

In a dining culture increasingly attuned to personalization and wellness, Rollins College has positioned itself at the intersection of hospitality and health; an approach that, for at least one student from central Mexico, turned a campus visit into a life-changing decision.