Rowan College at Burlington County will have a new coffee shop on campus in the spring.
The Certified B coffee shop Saxbys will operate solely as a student run cafe and provide students the opportunity to grow with an Experiential Learning Platform (E.L.P.) that will provide them with a way to earn college credit, a salary and real-life business experience.
Rowan President Dr. Michael A. Cioce spoke about how the school partnered with Saxby after he reached out this year and connected with the chain’s Founder and CEO Nick Bayer. In 2022, after opening E.L.P. cafes at 11 universities, Saxbys announced plans to expand to community colleges, including Rowan and Community College of Philadelphia.
According to Rowan’s announcement about the partnership, the Saxbys E.L.P. emboldens the next generation of change-makers by providing undergraduates with entrepreneurial opportunities that enhance classroom learning with tangible experiences.
The E.L.P. program is also groundbreaking in part because the shop will be fully run by students. Saxbys Student Cafe Executive Officers (student CEOs) will be trained by the chain in all aspects of the business. In the case of Rowan, a student will hold the position of manager and have responsibilities that include managing a profit and loss statement, hiring and firing, time management, price sensitivity, schedule and team development and community leadership.
According to Cioce, there are no general application requirements for the students to meet upon seeking employment at the cafe, just limitations for the student manager, who currently has to be in a specific major to obtain academic credit by holding the position. Cioce explained that this will not only benefit the student CEO, but will allow for paid employment opportunities for 20 to 30 students a semester.
In coming weeks, Saxbys and Rowa will announce the inaugural Student Cafe Executive Officer who will lead the new cafe and team.
“It’s fun; it’s something new for all of us,’’ Cioce said. “It directly, directly, directly involves our students, And where can this take us as far as future opportunities, to give education opportunities and credit earning opportunities and a quality product?
“This is like a intersectional of amazing things from a bunch of different inputs,”
The benefits of the cafe will also reach beyond the counter and aid in rebuilding interpersonal relationships and connections across campus, something that was lost during the pandemic. Cioce hopes the new cafe, which will be located in the Student Success Center, will help create a communicative space for all students.
In looking forward to a spring opening, Cioce noted that he hopes there is a line outside the door when the cafe opens, and encourages community members in the area to come see what is new at Rowan.
For more information about student applications for employment opportunities or information about Rowan, visit www.rcbc.edu.
