Students enjoy their lunches in the newly renovated DK's cafe in Pearsons Hall on a typical weekday in the fall semester.

The Beloit College campus is undergoing a significant transformation, with the creation of a student-centered environment that fosters interactions in and out of the classroom. The college is revitalizing the dining services with renovated kitchens and reconfigured eating areas that will dramatically improve the overall dining experience for students.

The first phase of the project saw the opening in September of DK’s, a casual café with grab-and-go food options on the academic side of campus. DK’s provides a quick and easy option for students, faculty, and staff to eat before or after classes. The newly-renovated space is centrally located in Pearsons Hall, near the future School of Business, the mail center, and the financial aid office. Students use “flex dollars” from their meal plan at DK’s.

Students order food at the newly renovated DKs café in Pearsons Hall.

A second phase is underway in the Powerhouse where Hamiltons Café is undergoing significant renovations and will become the all-you-care-to-eat option (using “swipes” from the student meal plan), starting spring semester. These upgrades will help the college’s food service provider, Bon Appetit, provide high quality and varied food options. The Turbine Gallery in the Powerhouse will have designated and peak-time seating to create a vibrant, welcoming space for students to gather, eat, and socialize.

The renovations at Hamiltons will result in a modern and welcoming space that meets the needs of students to eat high quality food in a collegial, welcoming environment. “Our team is thrilled to begin serving the Beloit community in this newly renovated space,” says Scott Zoellick, General Manager for Bon Appétit Management Company at Beloit. “These updates will enhance the dining experience and allow us to offer a wider variety of food options while creating a new hub where students, faculty, and staff can come together.”

In this architectural rendering is a newly imagined entrance to Hamiltons Cafe.

With the Hamiltons expansion, Commons, a beloved institution on campus for many decades, will be closing its doors. The space will be emptied and cleaned, ready for its own transformation in the future at the center of the residential side of campus.

These dining renovations are just one part of a larger campus transformation, which aims to improve student satisfaction, community engagement, and enrollment. Beloit College recently completed a $10 million library renovation, which included the creation of an Impact Beloit Hub, a major residence hall renovation, and numerous other building improvements. Through these strategic and thoughtful actions, the college is transforming its campus into a vibrant space of learning and community, set within a city on the move.

“Students are at the center of everything we do,” notes Vice President for Facilities and Advancement Dan Schooff, who has overseen the extensive campus renovations. “This transformation elevates the student experience and positions Beloit College as a place of pride and attraction for future generations of students and their families, alumni from all generations, and our neighbors in the Greater Beloit area.”

The newly renovated Hamiltons Cafe will be the future all-you-care-to-eat dining area for Beloit College students, as imagined in these architectural renderings.