by RIKKILYNN SHIELDS, Staff Writer

Similar to Buzzfeed, Spoon University is an official online food publication, “for the students written by the students.” With over 200 schools and universities all around the United States involved, writers are required to submit articles and videos regarding food and publish them.

Although everyone writing shares a common love for food, the editor-in-chief for Manhattan’s chapter of SpoonU is passionate about what she does and has a sweet tooth like on other. Catherine Kinney, a senior and public relations major runs SpoonU here at Manhattan College.

Kinney discovered her love for food when she started baking in middle school.

“I’m definitely more of a sweet gal than savory,” she says. “I have so many memories sitting around a Locke’s table eating food with my friends. Or ordering late night pizza. Or my personal favorite, Sunday boozy brunch. Food connects us all in a lot of ways.”

The food philosophy Kinney lives by is, “eat healthy, but have fun indulging yourself. Never say no to a seasonal donut.” Although she has a love for any warm dessert topped with ice cream, Kinney said if she had to eat one thing for the rest of her life, it would be potatoes.

Along with her love for food and baking, Kinney has always had a love for writing. Being a public relations major, she joined SpoonU with the intentions of being published online to amplify her resume. However, once she started to get involved, she fell in love.

“I currently am applying to non-profit businesses to work in their public relations department. But the experience I get from Spoon is priceless. I write and edit articles. I recruit members to be a part of the team. I run events and campaigns. And on top of it, I make new friends and have fun. There is so much valuable experience I get from Spoon,” Kinney said.

The Spoon University chapter at Manhattan has weekly meetings to discuss different article ideas. All of the members have their own unique niche that they contribute to the publication.

“Some like baking, some like cooking, some like restaurants, some like seasonal stuff. We have someone from Hawaii who lets us in on all the food treats Hawaii gets that the rest of the world doesn’t. Personally, I like writing helpful tips or funny, satirical articles.”

At the meetings, the members discuss event ideas along with article ideas. They discuss new drink recipes, possible food tours that could be held in New York City, good restaurant deals and so much more.

Kinney said her favorite part about writing for SpoonU is the feeling she gets when the number of views her article received is in the thousands.

“Being in a network where I can reach so many people is a pretty cool feeling,” Kinney said. She finds her inspiration from websites like Thrillest, Greatest or Elite Daily. Other than writing for SpoonU, Kinney used to play for the Manhattan College Women’s Soccer Team, until she unfortunately got injured. Although she still has a love for sports and competition, she spends most of her time volunteering.

“I volunteer tutor a group of children, and I volunteer at a lot of non-profit companies and help with their PR and social media,” Kinney said.

Being a part of SpoonU, you don’t have to be a writer to get involved.

“Mainly, you have to love food. And who doesn’t love food? It’s mostly about having fun. It’s not supposed to be stressful.”

Spoon University is still looking to add new members to the club, and would love to get as many people with a love for food as possible So, if you have a love for food, this is the club for you. Don’t be afraid to reach out Kinney at ckinney.student@manhattan.edu if you’re interested in joining, or have any questions regarding the club.

“If anyone saw me handing out spoonfuls of Nutella last week, I think it’s obvious I’m pretty approachable.”