Alexa Christensen, a Marquette native who holds two degrees from Northern, has returned to her alma mater to serve as the new director of Dining Services. She previously worked as the dietary manager at Houghton County Medical Care Facility. Christensen arrived on campus in early June and hit the ground running to help ensure that students and families in town for orientation had a positive experience sampling food from NMU Dining locations.
“On the Monday night of the full orientation for out-of-town students, we serve a barbeque meal with brisket, mac and cheese and other delicious options,” she said. “We also hosted a lunch with food stations representing various dining locations on campus that are closed during the summer. Some people assume we're rolling out the red carpet at orientation; they don't realize this is the type of food we have all the time, or that students will have so many options when they get here. Whether they want homestyle, comfort food or have a passion for pepperoni pizza, we've got them covered.”
Christensen first enrolled at Northern planning to pursue a career in early childhood development, but soon realized after working at a preschool that it was not the ideal pathway for her. She returned later and found her niche through an introductory food service management course. After earning an associate degree in 2013, she laddered to a bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism management the following year.
“I worked at local restaurants while I was going to school, including what was then Sweetwater, but I also remained intertwined with the hospitality program as a teaching assistant and tutor,” said Christensen, who serves on the advisory board for the current hospitality leadership program. “I helped students execute their labs and perform cooking demonstrations for the Professional Cooking I class taught by Deb Pearce. The first eight weeks of labs covered knife skills, seasoning, baking, poultry and meat cooking, soups and vegetable cooking, and other skills. Students also had to create their own special that included a protein, vegetable and starch to be served in the Culinary Café.”
After graduation, Christensen secured full-time employment, including at a yacht club downstate. She returned to Marquette for about five years to serve as Border Grill's manager of catering. When the pandemic adversely impacted that part of the operation, she applied for a job at the Houghton County Medical Care Facility.
“I learned a lot more about institutional food service through that position and became certified as a dietary manager,” she said. “When the NMU Dining Services director job was first posted last fall, it was really hectic at work and I never got around to applying before the ad was taken down a few days later. I was kicking myself for missing out on the potential opportunity. Then the job was reposted in January and I made sure to apply. I think things happen at the right time for a reason.
“When I was a student here, trying to figure out what I wanted to do, an academic adviser said, ‘Let's just try this introductory hospitality class' based on some of the things I had said. I really liked it and realized there are a lot of options in the field. I like the fast pace of the back of the house, cooking with others in the kitchen and having fun, even in stressful situations. But I also have the personality for the front of the house, so I like to float around and help wherever I can.”
When she was interviewed a few weeks into her new position, Christensen said it was already apparent that NMU Dining emphasizes collaboration among its “awesome team,” from the executive chef and managers of the different campus locations to the catering/events staff and student employment operations.
As director, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects. Her role emphasizes high-quality menus, well-maintained facilities, excellent customer service and financial solvency across operations. She will also utilize her culinary expertise to enhance operational effectiveness and build strong relationships with campus and community partners.
Christensen said she did not realize how much she missed her hometown until moving back to Marquette. She gained a greater appreciation for her support system of family and friends, and the familiarity of favorite places. In her free time, she enjoys baking—sourdough bread is a favorite—and spending time outdoors at the beach or paddleboarding on Lake Superior. She has also traveled more in recent years.
“Costa Rica was probably one of my favorite places; I would love to go back and see different parts of the country,” she said. “A friend and I went on a cruise last year and stopped at different places, including Honduras. We are looking into a trip there or to St. Lucia. I'm averaging one big vacation a year and typically like to go to warmer places. I would also love to learn how to scuba dive because there are some amazing destinations to do that.”
For now, she is doing a deep dive into NMU Dining to get up to speed in advance of the rapidly approaching fall semester.
