The recently opened Connections Cafe on LBCC’s LAC campus has been great for students, and its success should be used as an example for how the school should continue to support similar projects.
In contrast to the Viking Express on LAC, which acts as a grab-and-go convenience store for a variety of snacks, the cafe offers a higher quality product at an affordable price, with most items hovering around $6, which is competitive with other off campus options.
Students can enjoy a variety of coffee options, such as mochas and lattes, which can be served cold or hot in addition to different creamer options and flavorings.
Giving customers such a wide range of options for their coffee at an affordable price ensures students can stay on campus instead of having to go elsewhere.
Having a communal space that’s shared by many students and faculty who are in between classes is important, as it helps encourage people to build connections and creates a welcoming place for people to feel more a part of a community on campus.
The cafe also serves flavored lemonades, a variety of teas, and food options including pastries such as croissants and muffins, and also grilled paninis.
The pre-made nature of the food, and the quick heating times makes sure the line stays moving, which is important for students who may not have a lot of time between classes.
Despite the lack of interior seating, around the cafe is a patio area with tables and chairs, which provide a small social space for students to interact.
The campus in general lacks these spaces designed specifically for recreation and socialization, with very few tables and benches around campus.
The school has been making strides in the right direction recently, with a few tables being set up around the T-building that have charging ports, however the campus would benefit from continuing these additions.
Existing facilities and areas could be revamped to include more seating, such as outside the E building where the food trucks park, creating better seating for students grabbing food from these vendors.
Many students also use the cafe area as a study space, finding comfort and peace in the outdoors alongside their coffee.
Since its opening, the cafe has stayed consistently busy, serving hundreds of students per day.
Already, students are becoming regulars, incorporating it into part of their daily routine on campus.
The cafe’s popularity should speak for itself, as hopefully the school will continue to provide affordable and convenient services such as this to the students and faculty.