In 1922 a university cafeteria was established in the basement of South College, under the direction of the Home Economics Department. That cafeteria was replaced by the larger one in Sophronia Strong Hall operated by the College of Home Economics’ Institutional Management Program headed by Ruth Buckley.
Students both devised recipes for the Strong Hall cafeteria and cooked the food. Cottage cheese croquettes with green pea sauce and lunch’s “egg cutlets” were particular favorites. In 1966 the university created a Food Services Department, and the relationship of the College of Home Economics was terminated. In 1996 campus food service was outsourced to ARAMARK.