Frozen Dessert Machine is a "Cool" New Addition to Dining Hall

3/29/2019

Students and faculty returned from spring break to a sweet surprise in the Cameron Mann Dining Hall: a brand-new frozen dessert machine.

While the already popular machine may seem to have appeared out of nowhere, the plan to acquire such a cool addition had been in the works for some time. “The demand from the student body was overwhelming in their desire to have frozen dessert available,” said Lee Bergelson, head of dining services. “Laura Danforth heard the community feedback and let operations know that this was a goal that we needed to work towards.”

And while treating oneself to a vanilla-chocolate swirl is as easy as pulling a lever, installing the machine took quite a bit of effort, explained Bergelson. “We needed to find the right machine that would keep up with the demand, as well as operate safely during extended periods of use. Facilities had to install power and plumbing to make the machine operational.”

And while many have quickly come to call the new addition a "fro-yo" machine, Bergelson emphasized that it really is a frozen dessert machine, since it can produce options beyond frozen yogurt, including soft-serve ice cream, gelato, and sorbet.