Not only do students now have a wide selection of food in the Memorial Union with the opening of several new restaurants, but they also new job opportunities.

Food Court Manager Heinz Humm said eight new restaurants will have opened in the Memorial Union by mid-August. Six of the eight are now open.

Burgie’s Espresso Cafe, Panda Express, Subway, Tomassito’s Pizza, Chick Fillet and Hearthstone have already opened their doors for business. Casa-Ortega and McDonald’s will be open soon.

The opening of these new restaurants will provide many new employment opportunities for students. Employers are striving to hire students from the Iowa State campus and are offering work study for those students who are interested.

“Our main goal is to hire college students,” Vince Jasper, manager of Subway, said.

Humm said he anticipates 40 to 50 part-time employees will be hired, 90 percent of them being college students.

Co-owner of Burgie’s Expresso Cafe and Freshen’s Premium Yogurt, Steve Burgason, said, “I expect to hire 12 to 14 employees for fall, with a majority of those being college students.”

Burgason said there is some specialized training that goes into using the equipment, and some employees will be transferred in from other stores. Burgason and co-owner Dale Culver own an espresso cafe in North Grand Mall and one at the Gateway Express, where those employees who will be transferred are located.

“Right now we are fully operational, but not fully staffed because of the summer months,” Burgason said. “So come fall we will be hiring several students to assist with the customer increase.”

“We are very happy to be in here [the Memorial Union] and are looking forward to the fall,” Jasper said.

Humm encourages students to experience not only the assortment of food, but also the multitude of job opportunities.

Humm also said he has received very positive feedback. “I am very excited and await the grand opening when the fall semester begins.”