Written by Elizabeth Friede
For a small school, CMC students are pretty spoiled by the array of eating options. While meal plans are required for freshmen, nobody minds because the food is so good.
Students at the Claremont Consortium can eat at any eatery on any campus—which adds some much needed variety to what would otherwise be a monotonous eating schedule. Collins Dining Hall is the only dining hall on CMC’s campus, and though it used to be one of the worst dining halls, it’s rapidly improving. With every meal, there are a variety of healthy choices, including a vegan and vegetarian section, and meat options that rotate. It’s cafeteria style, with several stations that offer a good variety of various ethnic and American classic eats. CMC has also renovated the café in the student center, which serves foods such as smoothies, burgers, and nachos. Students migrate from school to school following the best meals (sushi at Scripps, tacos at Pomona, brunch at Pitzer, steak night at Harvey Mudd, and Little Italy at CMC).
The other major eating option at CMC is the Athenauem. The Ath is a semiformal dining room that hosts an array of impressive speakers. CMCers dress up, enjoy a classy meal, and a speech from leaders around the world. Some recent big names include Steven Levitt, W.S. Merwin, RuPaul, and Rev. Jesse Jackson. While the food is hit-or-miss, students always enjoy a night at the Ath.