UK Dining to Host Complimentary Thank You Lunch to Celebrate Resilience of UK in Face of COVID-19
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 23, 2021) — Do you have a current, valid University of Kentucky ID? If so, you are welcome to attend a thank you lunch hosted by UK Dining to celebrate the grit and resilience of the UK community in the face of COVID-19.
All students and employees can visit Fresh Food Company at The 90 and Champions Kitchen at the Gatton Student Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 28, for a complimentary meal.
Starting last March, the university underwent a series of unprecedented transitions that affected every member of the campus community. From mobilizing a team to support students, employees, patients and visitors during the global pandemic, to transitioning to remote learning and working, to conducting continuous COVID-19 testing and administering more than 200,000 shots of vaccine, the UK family rose to the challenge.
“We are almost at the end of an unprecedented academic year that tested our resilience and grit as a community and as humans,” said Pulkit Vigg, resident district manager for UK Dining. “This event provides us an opportunity to thank our campus community for the extraordinary courage and kindness while fighting this pandemic with a farm to fork inspired feast featuring local Kentucky farmers. Additionally, this event celebrates all our community partners including local restaurants and farmers that stood by us in trying times.”
The menu will feature an extensive spread of Kentucky Proud products, including filet mignon, brisket, lamb chops, baked chicken, grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes, salad, dessert and drinks.
Vigg said while a complimentary meal is only a small token of the gratitude UK Dining has for the campus community and the strength shown, he hopes that this event signifies hope for the future.
For more information on UK’s COVID-19 response, such as details on testing and vaccines, you can visit UK’s COVID response website. To learn more about UK Dining, click here.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.