INCOMING UMD students are better aquainted with their dining options thanks to a DVD that takes viewers through the many facets of dining services.

First dining services tried brochures, but that didn't work. Another chance for technology to come to the rescue...

In an effort to educate incoming freshmen about on campus dining options, the Department of Dining at the University of Maryland created a marketing DVD that offers students a virtual tour of the various dining facilities as well as an in-depth explanation of the meal plans.

"Students tend to throw away brochures. But they don't throw away DVD's," says Joe Mullineaux, associate director for the Department of Dining at the University of Maryland. "The DVD allows students and their parents to explore dining options at their convenience."

With a short segment showing how dining services has changed over the years, parents appreciate the added reassurance that their child will be well fed, he adds.

"We worked with the marketing team developing the best way to approach incoming students and their parents. We wanted to get rid of the institutional foodservice stigma. The message is that our food is fresh and prepared by skilled chefs," says Mullineaux.

The DVD also caught the eye of UMD administration.

"When the administration saw it, they were amazed by the complexity of what dining services does," adds Mullineaux. " Before they only saw the end results. Now they know how we achieve those results."

With a little more than a semester underway, satisfaction scores are higher and UMD students are more informed about dining options.