The University of Lynchburg’s Burton Dining Hall has been honored by the National Association of College & University Food Services with a bronze award for Residential Dining Facility of the Year.
The award, one of the NACUFS’s 2026 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards, “celebrates exemplary menus, presentations, special event planning, and new dining concepts” and the “innovative ideas and successful implementation of these programs.”
It’s the third year in a row that the University has been recognized by NACUFS in the Residential Dining Facility category and just one of numerous awards — gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention — that Lynchburg has received from NACUFS over the years.
“It all comes down to the team,” said Ben Hostetter, Burton Dining Hall manager. “Maintaining the positive team morale in the dining hall is what leads to success for our department, no matter whether it’s an official award or a successful event.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these people. I think we will continue to be an award-winning dining program because of the people on our team.”
Shaun Dearden, Lynchburg’s director of dining services, agreed. “It’s certainly a team effort,” he said, “but also, three years in a row just goes to show the level of consistency that our dining operations maintains.”
Lynchburg’s entry for the award highlighted not only the work dining services employees do on a regular basis, but also how the staff rose to the occasion during extraordinary times — specifically during what Dearden described as “Snowmageddon 2026.”
Also known as Winter Storm Fern, the massive weather event impacted a large part of the U.S. in late January of this year. “The entire city was shut down, but our dining team was here,” Dearden said, adding that the department’s storm response included a series of social media posts.
“Just to see the influx of parents and people responding to our social media posts about the level of comfort that they had, knowing their student here on campus was being well taken care of, while the rest of the city was pretty much shut down.
“It was a super-proud moment. It shows the level of pride and commitment that our dining team takes toward the University and taking care of our students.”
Dearden also wanted to thank department leadership, including Vice President of Operations Michael Vaughan, for its support throughout the year. “We can’t do our job without the support of the administration,” he said. “They give us the tools, resources, and latitude to really have fun with dining and make it what it is for all of our students, faculty, staff, and guests.”
For Chef John Barker, it’s how the award is “all encompassing” that makes receiving it so special. It’s not about Burton Dining Hall as a facility or specific events held there, he said, but “about what we do every day. I think that’s what makes us great.
“That’s why I’m so happy to see us get this award and this recognition, because I think it does bring light to the great work that happens here all the time.”
This year’s award winners will be formally recognized at the NACUFS 2026 National Conference, held July 15-18 in New Orleans.
“Next year’s going to be four,” Dearden said. “We’re going for gold next year.”
