Stephanie Paulino, managing editor –
By Wednesday morning, the Moo Bella ice cream machine was up and running with a line of students ready to try the premium and light options available for $3.49 a cup by Mondo Subs in the Student Center food court plaza level.
Brian Pedalino, a junior biology major was one of the first students to try a premium raspberry white chocolate cup of ice cream.
“It seems like this is going to be a good idea here,” said Pedalino, “and you definitely have to go premium for the first time.” 
Moo Bella operations specialist will stand by the machine to answer questions until Friday. Specialist Celso Martins, said the machines debuted last year, and four universities in Connecticut are already using them. Pedalino, Student Government Association Board of Finance chair and member of the university’s food committee said he has been pushing to bring the machine to Southern since winter break after learning that nearby Quinnipiac University already had one.
Coming in at 230 calories for premium and 200 for light four-ounce servings of ice cream, Moo Bella offers choices for the health conscious. Despite efforts to promote healthy eating throughout campus, Pedalino said not everything at Southern needs to be healthy.
“You wouldn’t have ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said Pedalino. “If you have a salad then ice cream for desert, what’s better than that?”
Kaitlin O’Brien, a senior journalism major tried the light coffee flavor, and said it was all right.
“It probably would be a once in a while kind of thing,” said O’Brien.
Students can purchase cups from the cashiers at the food court, using whichever payment method they’d like, and then bring them up to the Moo Bella machine for dispensing.
