Riley Theophile ’25, a sociology major, focused her Wellesley application essay on El Table. Now, she’s the general manager. “I wrote about wanting to work at El,” she says, “so it’s a full circle moment that I get to be here every day. El Table is quite literally my favorite space on campus. It’s my safe space.”

Founded in 1904 in College Hall, El Table began as a small table by an elevator serving snacks to hungry students. It has since expanded into an organized student-operated café located in the basement of Founders Hall, serving coffee, pastries, and a variety of cleverly named sandwiches. It is run as a cooperative.

“Through El’s horizontal leadership structure, every El Tabler has a say in every decision,” says Theophile. “I get to brainstorm with other El Tablers ways we can function more efficiently. I’m comforted knowing my ideas, as small as a new labeling system or as large as planning a new event, can be implemented in the space.”

This year, the cooperative has 23 staff members. “So many identities are represented in our El Tablers and patrons, such as within QTBIPOC, and we hope to demonstrate to everyone who we are and what we believe,” says Theophile. “El Table is meant to be a welcoming space for our Wellesley sibs and community.”