The new Rawlings Plaza was busy Monday afternoon with hungry customers, sustainability initiatives, and food and drink freebies for students.
Gator Dining Services, along with partners Pepsi Co. and Sustainable UF, celebrated the grand opening of Rawlings Plaza’s Provisions on Demand Market and Subway. The plaza opened in early March.
At the celebration, the two winners of Pepsi’s Zero Waste Contest were awarded $5,000 grants for their ideas on how to make UF’s campus more sustainable.
Graham Area Council President Brandy Myers handed out free reusable bags to students. Her area’s winning idea was to promote reusable bags to reduce the use of plastic bags.
“Whether it’s our bags or someone else’s, the whole goal is sustainability,” said the 20-year-old UF finance and criminology sophomore.
Students were able to try free samples of Pepsi Next, Gatorade Endurance Carb Energy Chews, Pure Leaf tea and Cracker Jack’d snacks.
Health science freshman Katherine Anderson stood in line at the Plaza to enter in a drawing for a cooler from Sustainable UF.
She said the new Rawlings Plaza is very convenient.
“I can just get straight off the bus and go in there if I’m hungry,” the 19-year-old said.
Marketing Program Manager for Gator Dining Services Jill Rodriguez poured Cracker Jack’d snacks into sampling cups for students.
“Rawlings Plaza is a one-stop shop for solar docks and sampling,” she said.
At the event, a few UF officials unveiled the plaza’s new Solar Dok Station, which has electrical outlets as well as USB ports.
The solar panels on top of the umbrella absorb sunlight energy which is stored in the battery below the picnic table. The station can be powered up to four hours without sunlight.
“What better day to add a Dok Station on Earth Day,” said Vice President for Business Affairs Curtis Reynolds.
The station is the first table in the core of campus, said Associate Director for Business Services David Looney. He said a few other tables are located at Sun Terrace at Shands and in the married housing areas.
Joshua Pauls entered a contest to have the station dedicated to his name in early March. The applied physiology and kinesiology sophomore said he didn’t expect to win the contest.
“One day, I got an email, and lo and behold, I have an iPad and a Solar Dok Station,” the 19-year-old said.
Contact Colleen Wright at cwright@alligator.org.
Joshua Pauls, a 19-year-old UF applied physiology and kinesiology sophomore, wins an iPad and has the Solar Dok Station named in his honor at the Rawlings Plaza opening Monday.
