Campuses Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Creativity and Flavor

Campuses across Louisiana and Mississippi marked Valentine’s Day with a variety of creative and engaging events, ranging from heart-healthy initiatives to decadent dessert pop-ups. Dining teams delivered unique experiences that brought students, faculty, and staff together in celebration.

Heart Health Month Initiatives

Recognizing Heart Health Month, dining teams introduced wellness-focused offerings such as mindful overnight oats and heart-healthy smoothies. Abbey LeBoeuf, MS, RD, LDN, CNSC, District Campus Dietitian, played a key role in supporting these initiatives, promoting nutritious choices alongside the festive celebrations.

Dining Events and Sweet Surprises

At East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), tornado watches forced a last-minute change to the Flamin’ Hot Crush event, but the team quickly pivoted, transforming their desserts into a retail Flavor Seekers “Decadent Desserts” pop-up. Guests enjoyed chocolate-covered strawberries and Chef Dwayne’s heart-shaped cookies.

Dillard Dining hosted a pre-Valentine’s Day meal featuring baked salmon, shrimp skewers, roasted potatoes, and green beans in an elegantly decorated setting. A Decadent Desserts Flavor Seekers event in the dining hall also proved popular.

Nicholls students were treated to an upscale steak night at the Valentine’s Day Flavor Seekers event. The menu featured grilled flat-iron steak with black pepper demi-glace, pan-seared heart-shaped BBQ chicken breast, and grilled portobello mushrooms, served with premium sides and dessert. The Grid also sold chocolate-covered strawberries, while the Street Team encouraged THX nominations. The THX program allows students to recognize dining employees who have made a positive impact on their day.

Grambling embraced the holiday spirit with a “Lover’s Wonderland” late-night breakfast, featuring a comfort-food menu, dancing, Valentine’s Day card-making, a photo booth, and chocolate-covered strawberries.

Mississippi University for Women (MUW) offered a retail Decadent Desserts Flavor Seekers pop-up with Valentine’s cookies and an “Opposites Attract” event, which included hot and cold boba tea, spicy Chex mix, and a friendship bracelet-making station.

Jones College partnered with student services and counseling services to host a Valentine’s Day event that featured fruit trays, water, swag giveaways, and bracelet-making. The event also promoted meal plan information and the THX program.

Centenary created a festive atmosphere with a Valentine’s Day dessert spread, incorporating THX program promotions.

Northwestern State put a spicy twist on the holiday with its “Opposites Attract” theme. The popular Thursday wing event at Vic’s introduced a new sweet and spicy wing sauce, drawing more than 200 participants. A sweet and spicy coleslaw was also added to the menu.

Xavier marked the occasion with health and wellness initiatives and sweet treat giveaways for students.

Loyola’s “I Have a Crush on You” gift box at The Market proved to be a hit. The Valentine’s-themed box included a can of Crush soda, festive candies, and a customizable heart-shaped tag, with space for additional treats. All 48 boxes sold out ahead of Valentine’s Day. Faculty and staff joined in, purchasing boxes for their children.

Looking Ahead

Reflecting on the success of these Valentine’s Day events, Bianca Gilfour, District Marketing Specialist, highlighted the dedication of the teams behind them.

“Our dining teams truly brought their creativity and enthusiasm to these celebrations, making the holiday memorable for students and staff alike,” Gilfour said. “It’s exciting to see the impact of these events, and we look forward to continuing to share these experiences.”

With a strong focus on engagement and innovation, the district’s dining programs continue to create meaningful moments across campuses.