Mar. 17—TRAVERSE CITY — That first interview over a meal with a potential employer or supervisor can be intimidating for young professionals.
So, for some Grand Valley State University students, having the opportunity to learn about meal etiquette — before that first business meeting over dinner — proved to be both beneficial and delicious.
On Wednesday night, Grand Valley students and alumni were invited to partake in a four-course meal at Lobdell's A Teaching Restaurant, to learn about the customs and courtesies when having a meal in a professional environment.
The career center team at GVSU's Traverse City campus alternates between a networking event and dinner etiquette event each year.
Cindy Brown, employer development manager at the GVSU Career Center, facilitated the dinner. She led students and alumni through each course of the meal, explaining practices such as the differences between "continental style" versus "American style" dining.
"The networking is extremely important but it's also good to brush up on the etiquette of dining because these students are going to be doing a lot of networking events that involve food," Brown said.
Allied Health Science major David Buchanan is scheduled to graduate next month. He's also working as a nurse assistant at Munson Medical Center, and will be starting the GVSU Physician Assistant Program this fall. He called the etiquette dinner a "transformative event" that provided "invaluable insights into the nuances of professional and personal development.
"The dinner underscored the subtle but significance of social cues, self-control, and patience — traits that can leave an indelible impression with a mere bit of a meal," he said.
The four-course meal included a fennel and asparagus soup, strawberry salad, a crispy parmesan chicken breast, and a double chocolate walnut brownie sundae for dessert. Everything was prepared by the staff at Lobdell's A Teaching Restaurant.
Gabe Miller is also currently studying for his bachelor's in Allied Health Sciences. He said he found the dinner to be both "extremely engaging and informative."
"While learning the respectable customs that should be used during dining occasions, the event was a fantastic opportunity to also network and connect with other students, wonderful faculty, and truly inspirational alumni" he said. "I will be better able to fully comprehend and demonstrate professionalism not just for prominent banqueting experiences, but for whenever I go out and eat in general."