Dishing It Out: Reimagining Multicultural College Dining Through Student-Centered Design

Abstract

Dining halls are central spaces in colleges, fostering not only nourishment but also cultural connection and community. However, when dining centers fall short in catering to the needs of their multicultural student body, students are often left feeling isolated and even further from home. Using MIT as a case study, this thesis employs user research and digital storytelling to explore how collecting student perspectives can inform college dining centers on better supporting the diverse cultural backgrounds and dietary needs of their students. The research and findings highlight the critical gaps and strengths in cultural representation within MIT’s dining halls. Through surveys and user research, this thesis gathers student perspectives on food authenticity, comfort, and identity, which inform the design of an interactive website prototype exploring student culinary backgrounds and preferences. This project serves as both a resource for dining services and a digital cookbook curated by the student body. By centering student voices through a culinary lens, this project aims to reimagine dining spaces as inclusive, representative, and comforting shared spaces within college campuses.