I often work with students who love to plan events at their high schools: assemblies, blood drives, spirit weeks, fundraisers, and various awareness campaigns. Those students are sometimes interested in marketing, business, and communications. A field that teenagers rarely consider is the hospitality industry, but I like to have them think about how nachos are prepared at the sports arena, how a hotel keeps the water slide slippery, or how a cruise ship hires the musicians. The world of Hospitality Management is wide open to students with a desire to travel, work, cook, bake, or work with customers in a variety of event settings. Here are five universities with widely respected programs, where kids will get solid education with lots of hands-on learning:
·Students in the Collins College of Hospitality Management gain real-world skills by managing and operating the Restaurant and Kellogg Ranch, on the campus of Cal Poly Pomona.
·Hospitality students may choose a one-month study abroad in Florence, Italy, at the Apicius International School of Hospitality, taking classes such as The Tradition of Italian Food, Tuscany and Its Wines, and Food, Culture, and Society in Italy.
·By the numbers: 53% acceptance rate; SAT Mid-ranges: CR 450-560, M 470-610; ACT Mid-range: 20-25.
·Five Johnson & Wales campuses across the US offer Bachelor of Science degrees in Hospitality Management, and also combine Baking & Pastry Arts or Culinary Arts with Food Service Management courses, Entertainment/Sports/Event Management, and Restaurant, Food & Beverage Management.
·J&W’s students find internships at Walt Disney World, NASCAR, hotel chains and cruise lines.
·By the numbers: Acceptance rate: 58%; SAT Mid-ranges: CR 430-550, M 440-560; ACT Mid-range: 19-25.
·The Harrah College of Hotel Administration offers hospitality students the chance to choose from concentrations in Gaming Management, Meetings and Events, Restaurant Management, and Professional Golf Management
·Hospitality students have their own Career Center at UNLV to help promote internships, jobs, and mentor networking events.
·By the numbers: Acceptance rate: 78%; SAT Mid-ranges: CR 440-550, M 450-560; ACT Mid-range: 19-24.
·Hospitality Business Management majors in the Carson College of Business must complete 1000 hours of internship and/or hospitality industry-related work experiences during their undergraduate education.
·Hospitality students study abroad at the Cezar Ritz College Switzerland, a traditional Swiss hospitality school. A dual degree in Hospitality management may be earned from WSU and Ritz.
·By the numbers: 82% acceptance rate; SAT Mid-ranges: CR 460-570, M 470-600; ACT Mid-range: 20-26.