See below for a daily snapshot of the 2025 meeting activities and sessions or download the detailed 2025 meeting agenda agenda.

All times below listed in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). 

Tuesday, October 14

2 PM | Pre-Meeting Tour (optional, additional fee)

Wednesday, October 15

8 AM | Registration & Breakfast

8:50 AM | Welcome Remarks from Vanderbilt University

9 AM | Keynote: Transforming Food Systems toward Equity and Resilience

9:40 AM | MCURC: The Year in Review, Collaborative Updates, and Meeting Overview

9:50 AM | Attendee Speed Intros and Sponsor Videos (1 of 2)

10 AM | Research & Education Working Group: A Glimpse into the Current MCURC Research Pipeline (Part 1)

10:25 AM | Refreshment & Networking Break

10:55 AM | Student Fellows Showcase

11:20 AM | Vanderbilt Showcase #1 | “Local Farmer Collaboration and Crop Planning”

12 PM | Walking Tour & Lunch

1:45 PM | Improving Diet Quality through Diet Diversity: A Project Presentation and Sustainable Nutrition Panel Discussion

2:25 PM | Sponsor Videos (2 of 2) and Sponsor-Member Collaboration Showcase (1 of 2)

2:40 PM | Member Research Presentation #1: SNEAK Study Findings

3 PM | Research & Education Working Group Interactive Session: Shaping Future MCURC Projects

3:55 PM | Short Break/Move to Reception & Idea Hubs

4 PM | Idea Hubs: Sponsor-Member Speed Networking Reception

5:30 PM | Opening Night Reception

Thursday, October 16

8 AM | Breakfast Prepared by MCURC Executive Chef Members

9:10 AM | Welcome & Overview of the Day

9:15 AM | Professional Affiliation Meetings

10:45 AM | Report Outs from Professional Affiliation Meetings

11 AM | Research & Education Working Group: What’s Happening in the MCURC Research Pipeline (Part 2)

11:30 AM | Vanderbilt Showcase #2 | “GROW: The Power Plant and the Vanderbilt Culinary Academy”

12 PM | Walk-Around Sponsor Exchange Lunch

1 PM | Sponsor-Member Collaboration Showcase (2 of 2)

1:15 PM | Datassential and the MCURC Present: Co-Creation Stage to Launch a New Trend-Informed Menu Concept

1:50 PM | Refreshment & Networking Break

2:20 PM | Member-Led Presentation and Discussion: Curriculum Based Interventions Food Literacy

2:50 PM | Dining Director Panel Session: The Business Case for Food Waste Reduction

3:15 PM | Collective Impact in Action: Trends & Insights from the 2024-25 Data

3:55 PM | MCURC: The Year Ahead

4 PM | Closing Reception

5 PM | Meeting Concludes