College dining halls do not have the best reputation. From fatty fries to bland burgers, college dining usually leads to an unhealthy, flavorless diet. Luckily, not every college suffers from lack of variety and flavor.

Ashland University’s dining hall is anything but typical. AU’s dining services have held a record of superiority for over a decade.

The National Association of College and University Food Service awarded the university’s dining services first place for “Standard Dining Menu” from 1989 to 1993 and from 2000 to 2002.

Ashland was recognized second by the Association in the same category from 2005 to 2008. The dining services placed in “Student Dining Special Event” in 2004.

These awards are credited to AU’s main dining hall, located in the lower Convocation Center, also known as Convo.

Convo is highly regarded by both students and staff because of its diversity of foods and its specialties.

Unlike many college cafeterias, Convo offers nine different stations from which to choose.

These stations include a daily special, an egg station, a sub station, a pasta station, a pizza station, a rotisserie, a grill, a hot bar, a salad bar and, of course, a dessert bar.

Some of the stations offer the same daily varieties; others, such as the daily special and the grill, change not only day to day, but also from lunch to dinner.

“The dining hall operates on a four-week menu cycle which allows for a wide variety of menu items,” said Fred Geib, head of dining operations at AU.

Although all the stations in Convo offer delicious grub, the most famous station in Convo is the egg station.

The egg station offers eggs ordered any way you like, including scrumptious omelets with a variety of add-ins.

Because of its popularity, the egg station, by itself has received recognition from the media.

“We read periodicals that gives us the latest trends in the industry as well as our own experiences what we are seeing in restaurants,” said Geib.

Convo would just not be the same without it’s famous “Fat Bar.”

Convo’s dessert bar, known as Fat Bar, consists of huge varieties of desserts and delicacies, which entice even the most disciplined pallet.

Almost all the desserts on display in Fat Bar are homemade by the bakers in Convo, and the sweets and treats range from homemade cheesecake and crème brûlée to beautifully decorated cupcakes.

“To most students at AU, Fat Bar is their guilty pleasure,” said Kathy Fletcher, a student at AU. “There’s just nothing like it at any other school. I especially love their valentine’s day desserts.”