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read moreChartwells Higher Education Earns Top Hermes Honors for Breakthrough Campus Dining Concepts
Chartwells Higher Education earned multiple honors in the 2026 Hermes Creative Awards for breakthrough dining concepts and brand storytelling.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 12, 2026 — Chartwells Higher Education, a leader in contract foodservice management, received multiple top honors in the 2026 Hermes Creative Awards for campus dining concepts and brand storytelling that help turn everyday meals into moments of connection for students.
The Hermes Creative Awards, an international competition administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), celebrates outstanding creative work across traditional and emerging media. Chartwells’ 2026 recognitions span Platinum, Gold, and Honorable Mention tiers, highlighting the depth and impact of its campus dining programming.
“We’ve always believed dining is about more than what’s on the plate. It’s where students find community,” said Eva Wojtalewski, CEO of Chartwells Higher Education. “These awards recognize the one-of-a-kind experiences our teams create on campuses every day, and the care they put into helping students feel connected and included.”
2026 Hermes Creative Award Honors Include:
- Platinum Award, Dining Concept, Social House: a purpose-built campus dining hub that blends great food with intentional design, interactive programming, and community-driven spaces to foster connection and belonging; it turns everyday meals into an experience and has proven to increase participation and dwell time across 35+
- Platinum Award, Dining Concept, Supper Club: this first nationwide campaign for Chartwells campuses, delivering one-of-a-kind, family-style food experiences where students gather around the table, connect, and create memories over shared meals. Built with student input through the IGNITE National Student Dining Advisory Board, it has been creatively scaled to 300+ campuses to support student success through impactful events, showcasing global flavors and culinary creativity, ranging from Pasta Party, K-Pop Night, Jazz Brunch, Dim Sum, retro ’50s Diner, A Night in Havana, and elegant French Bistro experiences.
Other awards included:
- Gold Award, Brand Storytelling & Editorial Publication, At the Table Magazine
- Gold Award, Internal Engagement & Recognition Program Performance Circle
- Honorable Mention, Experience Design & Program Framework, Experience Syllabus
The 2026 honors build on Chartwells Higher Education’s continued recognition by the Hermes Creative Awards, following its 2025 Platinum Award for the First Year Eats program, which received the highest distinction for strategic communications and student engagement. [
With thousands of entries submitted annually from organizations around the world, Hermes Creative Award winners are selected by industry experts and evaluated against rigorous standards of creativity, execution, and impact.
“These awards reinforce our commitment to innovation with purpose,” Wojtalewski added. “Every program recognized starts with listening to students, campus partners, and our teams, and then turning what we hear into dining experiences that truly matter.”
