School of Hospitality Management Monthly Update: November 2007

This Monthly Update from the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State serves to keep you informed and interested in the news as it happens - for alumni, industry, faculty & students.

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New York, New York

Always looking up, 133 undergraduate students connected with over 200 alumni and industry executives at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City the weekend of November 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th.

A packed agenda included property tours of Ellis Island (ARAMARK), Four Seasons, Tavern on the Green, Houston’s, Waldorf=Astoria, Ritz-Carlton, W New York, Kimpton’s Muse Hotel, USHG (Tabla, Eleven Madison, Shake Shack).

About 150 students from nine universities attended a brunch hosted by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Leaders and managers from the Starwood family spoke about company holdings and new construction internationally.

“It was refreshing to welcome students into one of our hotels and spend a little time together,” said Mary Anne McNulty, Sr. Manager of Staffing and College Relations for the company. “Normally, it is the recruiters going out into the schools. Here, we don’t have to worry about resumes or interview protocol. The heat is off.”

“It’s amazing what’s going on there,” said Rosemarie Hibbler, recruitment coordinator for Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management said of the tours and meetings with industry representatives. “Our students asked some great questions….from issues surrounding work-life balance to the average cost per meal.” She added, “These companies treated our students royally–if just in the tastings, alone!”

The Hospitality Executive of the Year Dinner on Sunday night was a especially exciting this year as Tom Giannopoulos announced a $500,000 donation to the School of Hospitality Management and the College of Health and Human Development for scholarships and development opportunities. On several occasions the crowd burst into applause and more than one person was seen wiping a tear from his or her eye.

Also in attendance were Dean Nan Couter and President Graham Spanier. Dr. Spanier was seen performing card tricks at Table #1.

Transfixed by his first bite of the Big Apple, Paul Datsko, who plans a return to Vail, Colorado upon his May ‘09 graduation joked, “My friends had to keep hold of my arm because I kept staring upward… like a deer in the headlights. It’s truly and amazing event and I am so glad that I went.”

“This was one of the most remarkable times in my life,” said senior Conroy Saldanha. Another student chimed in, “We met people who we hear about in class, read about in the news, and who seem bigger than life.” Her views were quickly echoed by others in the circle.

Students Raise Money

Armed with cans, School of Hospitality undergraduate students raised over $1,500 a few weekends back on the official opening weekend of fundraising for THON.

Christopher Carini, Liza Costandino, Alicia Roda, Megan Best, Laura Weyrick, Megan Robinson, Jackie Kane, Suzanne Szczepanik and Lindsey Boyer headed to the Philadelphia area with posters, tee shirts, and–most importantly–enthusiasm. More than half the group bunked in the home of an oncology nurse in Yardley, PA. The other half stayed with senior, Laura Weyrick.

“It was a lot of fun and we are planning another great trip for the next canning weekend on November 30^th-December 2^nd,” said Laura Stirling, THON Overall Chair for the School of Hospitality Management.

As many know, Penn State’s Dance Marathon (THON), raises millions of dollars each year in the fight against cancer. Also driving students as they dance for 48 hours straight is the official slogan “FOR THE KIDS”. All the monies raised go to the Four Diamonds Fund.

In 2006, the School of Hospitality Management adopted a Four Diamonds Family from Lancaster, PA. Eight-year-old Nicholas was diagnosed with Lymphoblastic lymphoma in 2006. Last summer Laura and some friends visited Nick and his family, who will be at THON in February.

“Nick’s father told me, with tears in his eyes, how impressed he is by Penn State students,” recounts Laura in her fundraising letter. “He is overwhelmed by the efforts of our students who dedicate time to dance for their son and other children with cancer.”

Christopher Carini, who helped to raise funds from the Philadelphia area, said the students involved with THON this year are “set to raise more funding than ever.”

Good luck–we’re there for you!

For those wishing to contribute to THON 2008 and help the Four Diamonds Fund conquer childhood cancer, please make checks payable to Penn State Dance Marathon and return them to: Lesley Scamacca in 201 Mateer Building, University Park, PA 16803.

Calendar of events and official website: www.thon.org

October 19, 20 & 21, 2007
November 30 - December 1 & 2, 2007
January 25, 26 & 27, 2008
February 15, 16 & 17, 2008

Family Carnival:
December 9, 2007

THON Weekend
February 22, 23 & 24, 2008

For the Wikipedia definition of Penn State Dance Marathon visit:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn_State_Dance_Marathon

Thanksgiving at Café Laura

Students, faculty and staff, and many members from the community came together at Café Laura to raise more than $2,637–three times last year’s total–for THON ‘08.

The Thanksgiving theme dinner was a sell out and already people are talking about next year’s feast.

Housing and Food Services donated all of the food served at the diner, and the 25 servers were all volunteers from the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society (PSHRS).

Read the full story and see photos at this article in the The Daily Collegian.

Students Help Raise $20,000 for Scholarships

Eleven students from the School of Hospitality Management went to Harrisburg Country Club to help raise over $20,000 for scholarships and educational activities. The money raised covers student member dues, attendance at the annual conference, and scholarships for students

The annual golf tourney was sponsored by the Central PA chapter of Club Managers of America Association (CMAA). The chapter provided six students with $1,000 scholarships last year.

Students who attended: Christina Ohs, Roxanne Dahlgren, Megan Nicholas, Heleyna Bukowski, Katie Plunkett, Charlie Morrison, Justin Owens, Heather Markle, Stefanie McCall, Erika Celmer, and Scott Crouse.

Club managers came from Scranton Country Club, Country Club of Harrisburg, Foxhill Country Club, Berks Country Club among others.

The tournament provides a good opportunity for students to network with those working in the club management industry according to Paul Howard, the CCMA faculty representative at Penn State. “We were able to chat with GM's and assistants, asking any questions we might have about a future career in a country club,” said Christina Ohs, CMAA student chapter president.

Student involvement with the club is definitely on the wax. Two years ago there were a mere two members; currently, there are fifty students, most of whom devote time and energy to raise money, attend meetings, and hold social events.

“The increase in popularity is largely due to Paul Howard,” says Vivienne Wildes, another teacher in the School. “Howard has the practical experience, takes the time, and makes the effort.” The proof is in the numbers.

For information on how to join Club Managers of America Association, contact Christina Ohs: cmo5005@psu.edu

Hands-on Learning, Enhancements at Café Laura

By day, students in Penn State's School of Hospitality Management are studying mostly business courses for careers overseeing the operation of hotels, restaurants and other establishments in the hospitality industry. By night, they roll up their sleeves and serve members of the community for eight weeks every semester at Café Laura, their in-house laboratory inside Mateer Building…all for a grade.

The senior-level class "Advanced Quantity Foodservice Management Simulation" is a required course in the curriculum that prepares students for real-world situations, covering all aspects of hospitality management from marketing to planning menus, from regulating expenses to overseeing food production to serving high-quality meals to fine-dining patrons.

Now the school is seeking another collaborative student experience where two senior-level classes can share their knowledge in that "live" environment and also offer a more sophisticated dinner to their patrons. As part of the potential changeover, the University is exploring the possibility of allowing Café Laura to serve wine under a secondary site license agreement with the Nittany Lion Inn.

Penn State has applied to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) for an extension to its liquor license at the Inn. Under such an arrangement, students could learn about marketing, selecting, selling, and serving wine, as well as the procurement of wine. The same controls that are in place at the Inn for the restaurants, banquets and other events would be in place at Cafe Laura, if a secondary location were granted, and the Cafe would serve only wine.

For the full story: live.psu.edu/story/27159p

Scholarship Winner

Senior Anna Schneider is the recipient of a $2,000 scholarship from the Philadelphia Chapter of Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP). Anna received the award on November 14 at the Chapter’s Scholarship Awards Dinner.

With more than 4,300 financial and MIS members from around the world, HFTP is dedicated to providing the hospitality finance and technology community with networking, resources, and continuing education.

Chapter president, Michael Dimmerling, expressed his delight in honoring Penn State School of Hospitality students as one of the chapter’s select scholarship recipients.

Day of Caring

Every year in Centre County, thousands of volunteers gather to participate in over 200 improvement projects for non-profit agencies such as youth recreational facilities and historical sites. On October 4th, two members of the student chapter of Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals participated in the 14th Annual PNC Bank-United Way Day of Caring.

Kara Pisklak and Sonya Grebs, along with other volunteers from the College of Health & Human Development, traveled to Golden Pond Girl Scout Camp in Petersburg where they helped to clean and stain the ranger's cabin.

Thanks, Sonya and Kara–you make us proud!

Front Page

Paul Howard, instructor, was interviewed for a front page article in MSNBC. The article Is Eating Out Cheaper Than Cooking? originally featured in The Christian Science Monitor.

Howard says he received several emails from across the country in response to his comment about how eating out is the new eating in: "When I add my hourly rate, the time to cook at home, I can instead take my family out to dinner, and it comes out pretty even," said Paul Howard, a manager-instructor at Café Laura, a restaurant run by college students at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa.

Read the full story.

New Faces

A special and warm welcome to Angelita Johnson. Angel joins the front office staff this month as Special Events Coordinator.

Angel’s first day was spent in New York City at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show.

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