Penn State offers a wide variety of hands-on experiences to its students. Potentially one of the classes with the most real-world relevancy to what would be encountered in the workforce comes from Hospitality Management 430: Advanced Food Production and Service Management.

The course is required of all hospitality management majors at Penn State and consists of rigorous hours, including a seven-hour “lab” component once per week. Despite its challenges, the course is known for bringing theme dinners to Cafe Laura each semester. After several weeks of preparation, the student groups have announced the dates, themes, and menus for their dinners.

This semester, there are a whopping eight themes to choose from, several of which are already booked. The dinners are reservation-only, so if you’re even thinking about going, make a reservation before they fill up to full capacity.

A few groups were reminiscent of the girlhood vibes of summer and created “Barbie: The Dinner” and “The Eras Tour: Dining Along Taylor’s Journey.” If you missed out on tickets to the Eras Tour, this dinner might be the perfect consolation. Sign us up for “Fearless” fried chicken, please.

For a more traditional dining experience, some groups chose to go with regional menus. Patrons can head south with “Jazz’n The Night: A Taste of the Bayou” or head really south at the “Discover South America: A Whirlwind of Flavors.” For something less spicy, check out “Bon Appetit: From France With Love.”

Finally, for those who aren’t so interested in the kind of food they’re being served and are just there for the ~vibes~, something like “From Chicago to LA: Take a Trip Down Route 66” or “The Steaks are High: Night at the Casino” may be a better fit. To do a bit of time traveling, maybe attend “A Speakeasy: Savor the Secrets.”

Dates for each dinner as well as menus, price ranges, and links to reservations can be found on the Cafe Laura website. While no alcohol will be served at the dinners, guests are invited to bring wine or beer to accompany their meals.

For additional information on the Penn State School of Hospitality Management, visit its website.