Made with Love
Nadia Alla (left) pictured with a colleague at a recent dining event on campus.
A student's spotlight on dining services staff member Nadia Alla
by Madison Mobray '28
Let’s set the scene: Students are rising early for breakfast before class, staff are preparing food with care, and smiles are exchanged between plate grabs. Dickinson’s dining hall moves through its familiar routines—shaping the campus experience with each meal. For many students, Nadia Alla, a member of the dining services team, shares these moments with them—her presence leaving a lasting impact on those on campus.
Carlisle: A new home
Alla has been serving Dickinson College students for three years. Her journey started when she and her husband moved from Morocco to the United States and moved in with her sister, Enola, who has lived in Carlisle for 27 years. As Alla familiarized herself with the Carlisle area, her husband came home with great news—Dickinson had posted an opening in dining services and Enola encouraged her to apply, knowing this would be an opportunity to build comfort and community in a new country.
At first, Alla was overwhelmed with the idea, worried about the language barrier in an unfamiliar environment away from home and questioning how to balance caring and providing for her young children. But she applied, and upon starting she immediately felt like she belonged. Her coworkers and the community members embraced and supported her.
A Day in the Life
During a typical week, Alla works Sunday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. She loves forming connections with the students she encounters. She said one of her favorite memories was last year when she befriended a student because every day for breakfast she would serve her three boiled eggs, and a joke between the two of them sparked. When the student went abroad, she left a note for Alla thanking her for her kindness and acknowledging their memorable “connEGGtion.”
Although she has grown to love Carlisle, Alla misses her family in Morocco dearly. She specifically recalled the sacred bond she had with her four younger sisters—Layla, Hannah, Fatima and Suet.
“When we were little, we all slept together in the same bed even though we all had our own beds. We enjoyed hugging and being together. I was the oldest and I protected my younger sisters,” Alla says.
She considered them like her daughters, and when they were all in high school, she remembers spending countless hours helping them study chemistry, and now one of her sisters is a successful chemistry teacher.
When Alla is not working, she loves to spend her weekends shopping, enjoying the park and playing soccer with her kids. She loves T.J. Maxx and Ross especially—and not just because her husband works for the Ross company! Speaking of clothing, Alla has dreams to move back to Morocco and start a clothing business once her children grow up. This passion started after she worked for her uncle in a fashion company, where she learned how to sew and appreciate the power of clothing.
Meaningful Connections
Sonya Wright, assistant director of dining services, describes Alla as “a kind, smart and fun coworker who consistently goes beyond for Dickinson students and her colleagues. She brings positivity to every interaction, sharing a smile even on the longest or toughest days. Nadia fosters an environment of inclusivity and belonging, ensuring that every student feels welcome and valued. Her dedication, warmth and willingness to help make her an incredible asset to our team and a true champion for building community at Dickinson.”
Through her compassion and commitment to creating a welcoming environment, Alla embodies the care and kindness that defines Dickinson’s campus. Whether it be serving breakfast, building relationships or just sharing a smile, she shows up for others each day, and Dickinson feels more like home because of it.
This profile is part of a recurring assignment for student marketing interns, who write about staff or faculty members of their choosing who has made a meaningful impact on their Dickinson experience.
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Published February 9, 2026