College of the Ozarks to host ‘A Taste of Student-Made’

Public invited to experience old-fashioned Grist Mill, Stained Glass & Candle Shop, and more

POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — College of the Ozarks invites the community to join and experience A Taste of Student-Made, formerly known as the Fall Open House, on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This annual event hosted by the College celebrates the innovation, creativity, and hard work of the student workers across the campus. A Taste of Student-Made will showcase exclusive fall merchandise, live demonstrations, free samples, and special savings throughout the day.

“We are honored to share our hard work with the community and give them firsthand opportunities to enjoy these products,” said Kiley Hutcheson, director of retail operations. “This is our way of showing how much pride we take in what we create, and how every product tells a story.”

The event will start at 11 a.m. at the Keeter Center Gift Shop, where guests are invited to explore and sample the new fall products made by student workers. At 11:15 a.m., Angie Ioannides, food safety and production manager, will present a live demonstration titled “Step by Step: Easy, Seasonal Appetizers.” Following this demonstration, there will be a Q&A session at 11:45 a.m.

From noon to 1:15 p.m., guests are encouraged to tour the campus production industries. This includes Edwards Mill, the Stained Glass and Candle Shop, and the Keeter Center. At these locations, visitors can sample products, view live student work, and take advantage of the event-only savings.

At 1:15 p.m., Chad Dardenne, milling manager at Edwards Mill, will present “Discover the Process and History of Edwards Mill,” followed by a Q&A session.

Throughout the day, visitors are encouraged to enjoy all the activities at student-industries. Products are available for purchase online at store.cofo.edu.

For additional information, contact Public Relations Director Valorie Coleman at (417) 690-2212.

About College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks is a private, Christian, liberal arts college, located in Point Lookout, Missouri, on a 1,000-acre campus. Christian values, hard work, and fiscal responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The College earns numerous accolades yearly, including No. 1 Best Performers on Social Mobility-Regional Colleges in the Midwest and No. 3 Best Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for 2025-2026 and No. 2 Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly, 2025. To achieve its vision, the College pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, a laboratory school that completes the K-college model.

The Keeter Center — the College’s award-winning lodge, restaurant, and conference facility — earns awards consistently, including the Tripadvisor Best of the Best Award 2024 for dining, Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award 2025 for lodging, and the Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 from ConventionSouth magazine for meeting and event spaces. The Keeter Center features historic lodging, fine dining, and meeting rooms. With more than 350 student workers, it is the largest workstation on campus.