On Jan. 20, the student-led coffee shop at Wright State University (WSU), ReyRey Café, celebrated its tenth anniversary. A celebratory event was held with commemorative cups handed out to the first 200 students in attendance.
The event, intended to celebrate ReyRey’s tenth anniversary alongside their move to the Dunbar Library, featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a dessert and refreshment table and free cups.
Tables were decorated with balloons, and the dessert table showcased an assortment of pastries and cupcakes, including an arrangement in the shape of a ten.
The presidents of Boston Stoker and Reynolds and Reynolds were named honorary baristas and given aprons during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Cristie Scharer is the Director of Donor Relations at WSU.
"It was an opportunity to thank Reynolds and Reynolds for their generosity to [WSU]," Scharer said.
The event, originally scheduled for Nov. 2025, was postponed when the president of Reynolds and Reynolds and other donors were unable to attend. Scharer explained that the date was changed to accommodate schedules and allow the café sponsors to observe how the students are progressing.
Tim Littell is the Assistant Vice President for Corporate Relations and University Initiatives.
"The CEO played a key role in bringing in his team, which was highly involved in the event," Littell said.
He highlighted that a member of the company's staff arrived the day before to help inflate balloons and that the idea for the commemorative cups and refreshment table came from the café's student board.
“The partnerships we have with Reynolds and Reynolds and Boston Stoker, these become really important to the life of the university," Littell said.
He also shared that these relationships provide students with experience and financial support.
Henry Dean, president and CEO of Boston Stoker Coffee Company, discussed the company's involvement in the establishment of ReyRey Café.
"They acted as advisors by assisting the team with negotiations and understanding fair pricing," Dean said. "Their traffic’s been up 39% since moving to the library."
The move has made it possible for more students to support ReyRey Café. Littell stressed that the new space is significantly larger than their original location in Rike Hall.
The Café has expanded as a company during the course of ReyRey's 10 years, and the celebration honored students' efforts, thanked sponsors and suppliers and acknowledged everyone involved.
