Creating Viv: Cultivating Conviviality and Community in Campus Dining

What happens when you blend the warmth of Friendsgiving with the expertise of campus dietitians and nutrition students? You get Viv—a research-based dining program fostering connection through shared, family-style meals. 

Webinar attendees will discover how dietitians and nutrition students turned a pop-culture holiday into a public health initiative, drawing on research linking communal meals to better physical health, mental well-being, and satisfaction. Launched with a Friendsgiving-themed event and shared Thanksgiving menu in an all-you-care-to-eat dining room, Viv invites students to put down their phones and connect through collaborative ordering, portioned platters, and intentional presentation. 

Presenters will outline the program’s journey from concept to launch, including collaboration, logistics, communication, aesthetics, and student roles in menu creation, surveys, marketing, and logo design. Survey results show strong participation, increased connection, and attendance beyond expectations, with more data coming as Viv wraps up its second year. This webinar offers practical takeaways for campuses eager to blend culinary creativity, nutrition research, and community engagement.