Kirk Rodriguez

Kirk Rodriguez
Senior Managing Director
Hospitality Services & Student Union

His leadership focuses on five core principles of direction: We care about people. We are passionate about food. We will strive to be innovators within the industry. We will be good stewards of our resources. We will conduct ourselves with integrity, diversity, and accountability. These principles have significant impact on the department, the Red Raider community, and the collegiate food service industry. Through his leadership, Kirk's team embraces the philosophy that they are Red Raiders feeding Red Raiders! Following the national dining trends on college campuses, Texas Tech Hospitality Services has moved from a traditional dining program serving a block meal service to a flexible dining program centered around a variety of retail food service styles. Red Raiders require dining locations that match their dynamic and diverse lifestyles, and Kirk's leadership has been instrumental in this conversion. Texas Tech now has an expansive mini-market component that represents an eating style far beyond that of a typical convenience store. Through this innovation, Texas Tech has multiple retail dining locations across campus. Each of these locations is specific to the area in which they are located and strives to support the students' dining and communal needs. Also of importance are Kirk's efforts to provide international students cuisine that fits with their home countries. He has created events with visiting chefs, developed support for students in making healthy food choices, increased marketing, and created a partnership with the Burkhart Center featuring a dynamic lab for students to learn real world skills in the hospitality industry. Through Kirk's efforts, Hospitality Services provides the university with a superior customer service experience and has become more than just a food service provider to campus. It is a driving force in supporting students in achieving their educational goals.