Babson College Dining Serves Up More Honors for Employee Development and Support

Listen

For the second year in a row, Babson College Dining earned a prestigious Loyal E. Horton Dining Award by the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS). 

Babson received a Gold Medal Award for excellence in the Employee Development Program of the Year category, recognizing dining programs that place an emphasis on growing and developing their team at all levels. Last year, Babson received a Silver Medal Award for excellence in the Catering Special Event of the Year category for its Celebrate & ELevate event. 

Headshot of Tara Norcross
Tara Norcross, director of residential dining at Trim Dining Hall, was named Employer of the Year by Lifeworks.

That recognition comes on the heels of other recent outstanding honors for members of the Babson Dining team

Tara Norcross, the director of residential dining at Trim Dining Hall, was named Employer of the Year by Lifeworks, a longtime partner of Babson Dining and a nonprofit organization that provides job training and placement services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Norcross and her team at Trim have empowered team members to build skills, develop independence, and find pride in their work through employment and continued on-the-job training—an important example of Babson’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence

And, Jacqueline (Jackie) Quadra, a longtime and beloved member of the Trim team, was awarded the Frontline Joyful Award last year by the Compass Group for her warmth and dedication in supporting students and colleagues. Quadra was one of only six people across the country honored with the prestigious award in Compass’ Be A Star program. 

A group of people pose for a photo
Jacqueline (Jackie) Quadra (center with flowers) earned the Frontline Joyful Award.

The Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards are the ultimate professional honor in college and university culinary arts. Babson College Dining will be recognized and presented with its award in July at the NACUFS 2025 National Conference in Salt Lake City. 

Babson also was featured in Campus Dining Today, NACUFS’ magazine on the industry. The article, “Nourishing Talent,” detailed how Babson Dining prioritizes employee well-being through inclusive initiatives, accessible transportation, and robust training and development, efforts that strengthen retention, boost morale, and ultimately enhance service to the campus community. 

“Through collaborative and thoughtful strategies, we’ve boosted dining staff morale and fostered a strong sense of Babson College pride and belonging,” Caitlin Capozzi, vice president of learner success and dean of campus life at Babson, told Campus Dining Today. “When staff are aligned with our values and their well-being is prioritized, their positive energy directly enhances student outcomes and contributes to a thriving campus community.” 

Posted in Babson Briefs

More from Babson Briefs »

Latest Stories

a row of electricity meters
The Price of Power: What’s Driving Rising Electricity Rates? Electricity rates have been steadily increasing. Ryan Davies, a Babson professor of finance, unpacks the many reasons for that, including the massive data centers popping up across the country.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
September 30, 2025

Posted in Insights

The Babson community and mascot celebrate at the Roger Babson statue last year
No. 2 Again: Wall Street Journal Ranks Babson the No. 2 Best College for the Second Year in a Row For the second year in a row, The Wall Street Journal ranked Babson as the No. 2 Best College in the United States, lauding the College for its impressive student outcomes.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
September 29, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Insights, Outcomes

First row (left to right): Laura Bautista ’29, Ezel Bhatty ’29, Sydney Fojas ’29; Second row (left to right): Lucas Lebrija ’29, Tia Malhotra ’29, Remy Witt ’29
Class of 2029 Blank Leadership Scholars Bring Excitement to Campus The Class of 2029 Blank Leadership Scholars arrive at Babson equipped with entrepreneurial spirit and social impact experience, from launching nonprofits and tech solutions to championing environmental education.
By
Melissa Savignano
Writer
Melissa Savignano
Melissa Savignano, a content marketing manager at Babson College, has worked in higher education for almost a decade, where she tells authentic, compelling campus and community stories. Before Babson, she managed communications for Boston University’s largest college, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. She previously worked in client relations, helping brands of various sizes launch content marketing strategies and storytelling initiatives. When not at work, you will find her in the city of Boston, probably at the movie theater.
September 25, 2025

Posted in Community