Widener University Hospitality Students “Give” this Thanksgiving in Chester

Chester, PA – For the past eight years, seniors in the co-op program in the School of Hospitality Management at Widener University have prepared a Thanksgiving feast for the families at the Salvation Army in Chester. They will continue that tradition this year, with some additional help.

Aside from applying their skills of hospitality, the students are also focusing on the leadership, another aspect of the co-op program at Widener. The seniors are working on the service project this year with students from the “Introduction to Hospitality Management” class.

“Working with freshmen has been a leveling experience,” said Courtney Waselik, a senior hospitality management major. “We have really been able to see how much we as seniors have changed in just four years at Widener. As students we’ve really learned a lot of from one another.”

The seniors who are participating in the service project are not only full-time students, but they are also working at their co-ops full time.

Together the upper and lower classman have coordinated everything themselves from planning the full Thanksgiving menu to calculating how much ingredients they will need to serve over 100 people. “They have prepared everything you can think of from stuffing and vegetables to the turkey and pumpkin pie,” said Dr. Joy Dickerson, professor of hospitality management and director of the co-op program.

Students will be preparing the Thanksgiving meal on Main Campus on Monday and Tuesday. They will be serving the food to families at the Salvation Army on Wednesday, Nov. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It’s been a lot of fun so far, but we are excited for to serve the meal at the Salvation Army,” said Waselik. “When we get to interact with everyone, it becomes so much more than just serving food; it’s a humbling and unforgettable experience.”