The sound of burgers sizzling on the grill fills the newly renovated Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center. Lively booths packed with chatting friends line the walls that were once shaded cabinets. Students wait their turn at the brightly shining kiosks and the walls are a brilliant blue that they were not before.
Hofstra University unveiled its renovated Student Center dining area for the Fall 2025 semester. This renovation allows for a more spacious area that permits students to easily traverse its two spaces. New murals were also added around the back of the eateries.
“In partnership with Compass Group, Hofstra University has transformed the Student Center into a refreshed space that meets the needs of today’s students while continuing to serve as the heart of campus life,” said Lexis Meehan, the marketing manager for campus dining by Compass Group.
To celebrate this change to Hofstra’s campus, Hofstra Dining held a ceremonial ribbon cutting. There, samples of the new foods that were added to the menus were given out to all that attended. President Susan Poser honored the hard work that was put in over the summer to make these changes.
“I like it. It’s kind of strange just because it’s new [and] it’s my fourth year here,” said Zipporah Brown, a senior criminology major. “I’m used to seeing it kind of crowded and small.”
The biggest changes came to three different eateries: Full Plate, The Market and Stu Streets Subs. Full Plate allows students to receive a meal that features both an entrée and side while Stu Streets Subs allows students to pick from an array of different sandwiches.
The Market underwent a bigger renovation. Housing both Full Plate and Stu Streets Subs, The Market is a spacious area that acts as another convenience store, similar to Dutch Treats, on campus. This mini-market gives commuter students and students traveling between classes more access to snacks, drinks and other items that might be found at Dutch Treats.
Eateries within the main dining area have also received some upgrades. The breakfast area has been renamed BRKFST & CO. where breakfast items including pancakes and egg sandwiches can be purchased. Paper Lantern features Asian-inspired recipes. Copperhead Jacks is home to Tex-Mex related dishes, featuring a build your own quesadilla. Lastly, Ciao Bella is now located behind Brooklyn Slice.
Some students do not prefer this new setup, believing it has caused another issue with spacing. Due to the renovation, there are no longer any registers in the main section of the cafeteria. Cash registers can only be found in the Market. All orders for the eateries will be by kiosk or Boost.
“[Having] the cash registers there was perfect. It made for easy access,” said Delaney Bryson, a senior psychology major. “It also meant that for the market, less people were bunching up.”
