school of hospitality management

The mission of the School of Hospitality Management is to develop citizens of character and leaders for the global hospitality industry and to instill in them the value of civic engagement and professional development through an emphasis on experiential learning.

Ranked 16 Out of 200

Widener University's School of Hospitality Management educates leaders for the hospitality industry. Our undergraduate program is one of only 17 freestanding accredited hospitality management programs in the United States and has been ranked as 16th out of 200 programs by the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education. The curriculum combines a rigorous academic program with a minimum of 1,400 hours of paid industry experience consisting of two summer internships plus a unique 15 week cooperative education semester that combines leadership development seminars with work experience.

Students have the option of participating in the unique Global Leadership Program, which consists of an international study experience, or six-week summer academic program abroad, fulfillment of the modern language requirement at the intermediate level or higher, selection of an International Relations course as a Social Science elective, plus a choice of extra curricular activities. The program is designed to better prepare hospitality management students to be international leaders in the global economy.

Professional Development & Experiential Learning

Students gain international experience, as well as the opportunity to travel throughout the United States for industry conferences. For example, sixteen students from the Widener chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)  attended the national conference in Toronto.  Two students were awarded the association's most prestigious scholarships and the Widener chapter was recognized as Chapter of the Year.

Student members of the award-winning Widener chapter of the Club Managers Association of America traveled to the annual student conference in Chicago where they explored management issues and career opportunities in Club Management.

• Jillian Panzone and Joshua Minton, and Professor Connie Holt, with support from the Banfi Foundation, spent time in Italy where they studied the cuisine and wines of Tuscany. Their trip included tours of the vineyards and winery at Castello Banfi, as well as visits to Milan, Sierra, Montalcino, and Rome.
  
  
• Jimmy Wu took an internship at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia. He was awarded scholarships from the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association and the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Foundation. He also attended the Lodging Conference at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix where he will participate in seminars and workshops with leaders of the lodging industry. The School of Hospitality Management is only one of ten programs in the United States invited to select a student to attend the conference.
  
  
• Beo Park received scholarships from the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Foundation and the Hyatt Hotels Fund for Minority Lodging Management students. He has been accepted into the Hyatt Hotels Management Training Program and has been assigned to the Grand Hyatt in New York City.

 

   

School of
Hospitality Management
Academic Center North

Widener University
One Place University
Chester, PA 19013
tel: 610-499-1101
fax: 610-499-1106