The campus cafeteria is estimated to be fully operational by spring 2025, Director of Facilities and Operations Christopher Raines said.

Raines said the construction is projected to be complete between October and December, barring any unforeseen complications.

Irie Mitchell-Crooms, a 19-year-old Nutrition and Dietetics major, said she regularly leaves campus to find food and would appreciate a full cafeteria, making it easier to study.

“A lot of my time goes to planning where I’m going to eat for the day,” Mitchell-Crooms said.

Jorel Martinez, a 25-year-old criminal justice major said the campus should invite more food trucks during the cafeteria’s construction to provide more variety of food options.

Eighteen-year-old biology major Kayhan Bahadury said he is looking forward to ordering a burger from the cafeteria. He sat in the cafeteria building with Shabnam Ehsan, an 18-year-old biology major, and they both said they can’t wait for the construction to be complete because the noise can sometimes be distracting when trying to study for a test.

“Sometimes it’s like you get in your car just to drive to the nearby shopping center, just to pick up something and be back in a matter of 30 minutes,” Ehsan said.

Ehsan said she is waiting for the grand reveal.

Ryan Oglesby, a 27-year-old film history major, said having more healthy food options on campus would be good, but he doesn’t know if it makes a significant difference.

“Some people who go to community college aren’t financially stable,” Oglesby said, “They can’t just be spending $15 on a sandwich.”

Oglesby said healthy options such as organic, grass-fed and vegan foods are typically more expensive and doesn’t think people will be coming to campus to purchase full meals. He said healthy options could be beneficial for students who don’t have access to healthy foods at home, especially if they are on campus frequently.

Twenty-year-old business major Jayden McCain said most of the snacks currently on campus are unhealthy and the cafeteria would be good for students who spend the majority of their time on campus.

Zahara Azizzada, a 23-year-old biology major said she is excited to have food on campus because she usually has to drive far away. She said she hopes the cafeteria provides halal options on their menu.

Raines said one-third of the cafeteria space will be reserved for the vendor, Pacific Dining, while the remaining two-thirds will be dedicated to the culinary arts program. He said previously, both the vendor and culinary department shared a space and it was not conducive for either party.