MacMurray Culinary Club - Creating Your Own Mac Experience
February 27, 2020 | 1:30 PM
Michael Mahung '21, Business Administration Major
When transfer stud
ent Michael Mahung ’21 realized that there was something missing during his MacMurray experience, he decided to take charge and create the kind of experience he wanted to have while in college. So, he started the MacMurray Culinary Club. “The original reason I wanted to start a Culinary Club was because I have a passion for good food and I wanted to share that with others on campus. I also thought that I could use my culinary background as a way to start a ‘small business’ in a safe environment,” Mahung said.
Although it was initially his idea, he reached out to friends around campus and found that there were many students who liked the idea of adding a Culinary Club to the list of student-led organizations that 
are offered at Mac. Because of the support of his fellow peers, especially his girlfriend and club co-creator Gabriella Generally ‘21, he was able to take his idea and bring it to fruition.
“I honestly had no expectations for others to volunteer their time to something that may not benefit them. I am completely floored by the amount of support we have received, and, in return, I want to continue to work hard and give people things they want. So far, being in Culinary Club has mostly meant preparing and selling baked goods,” he said. “The club is a good way to meet people who you know share at least one interest with you and it is a great way to make new friends.”
The Club’s mission is “to create an environment where students can experience and enjoy different cultures within the school's campus. This is done both through the sharing of new foods and the sharing of ideas.” The club hopes to accomplish this by allowing its members to “express themselves through food and give people a platform to share their experiences through food,” Mahung noted. “Overall, the goal of the organization is to provide something new and different to the campus as well as giving students the opportunity to make business-like decisions.” He wants students to feel comfortable asking questions while learning along the way.
Currently, there are 15 members in the club, and they’ve hosted two bake sales in the Gamble Campus Center. Mahung hopes that the Culinary Club will 
continue to grow and help provide an opportunity for its members, along with the rest of the campus community, to enjoy different creations and goods for the foodie in everyone.
“Everyone experiences food differently, but for me, food is an integral part of my identity. I know that not everyone will understand this sentiment, but I get excited at the idea of feeding someone the best food they've ever had,” Mahung shared. “That being said, I feel the most important thing for the club to keep in mind as we move forward is that having the power to share something that can make someone smile when they're having a bad day is extremely powerful. We would do well not to take advantage of that power, and maintain the standards that will make people look forward to what we come up with next.”
If you’re interested in starting your own club or organization on campus, Mahung suggests working with the MacMurray Student Association so that you’re following all of the appropriate guidelines and to make sure you ask a lot of questions.