School of Hospitality Management Monthly Update:
May 2008

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.

Send us your news....it's a great way to connect.

At your service

Glen Hasek & Bert Van HoofFaculty and staff in the School of Hospitality Management served up a mega-feast at the Senior Dinner on May 2, 2008. Pete Yersin, Steve Musco, Bart Bartlett and Dave Cranage all had their hand in preparing the banquet which, as in years past, proved delightful to graduating seniors.

Leigh Silkunas and Brianna Morgan prepared a video that provided lots of laughs and a few exclamations of "Did I really do that?!?" or “My, how young I looked!”

New this year was the Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society (PSHRS) senior scholarship. First place went to Annie Morgan who has accepted a position as manager-in-training with Hyatt Hotels in Manhattan. Second place went to Rythda Destine. Rythda will join Sodexho in human resources.

“The senior scholarship will help me out tremendously!” said Annie Morgan in a letter to the faculty, staff and board of PSHRS. “With student loans and rent to pay in Manhattan, the money will make my transition a little easier.” Annie also received a travel voucher and senior gift bag which she said “definitely topped off the night.”

HRIM Student cited as

Dennis Del ValleHRIM student Dennis Del Valle helped the Nittany Lions grab its second national title in the program’s history, handing PSU a volleyball championship sweep this year. The women’s volleyball team grabbed the national title earlier in the year.

The Penn State press release states, “The unsung hero of the match, freshman libero Dennis Del Valle (HRIM) recorded a match-high and career-high-tying 16 digs and for the NCAA Championship, Del Valle racked up 30 total digs for an average of 3.75 digs per game.”

Congratulations, Dennis…we’re all very proud of you and your team!

For a full story, photos and lots of details:
gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-volley/recaps/050308aaa.html

Join us in Chicago

Please join us if you are in the Chicago area or will attend the upcoming National Restaurant Association Show.

On Monday, May 19, 2008, PSHRS will host an alumni mixer from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the The Illinois Institute of Art:

The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago
180 N. Wabash Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60601
www.artinstitutes.edu/chicago

Culinary students from the institute prepare all of the food for this unique event co-hosted by hospitality programs at: Penn State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Delaware, University of Massachusetts, and Niagara University.

We look forward to your stopping by our booth and to say “Hello!” and to chat about happenings here at Penn State.

Play Ball in Pittsburgh

Get ready for a “Take me out to the ballgame” sing-along with family and friends as the Pirates play the Diamondbacks.

PSHRS will host an alumni mixer on Saturday, June 7th at the Westin, Pittsburgh. On Sunday, June 8th, it’s off to the ballgame where you will get a hat, your name of the scoreboard and a ticket for the price of $20.

Price of hotel rooms at the Westin for June 7 is $49.00.

If you are interested contact Rosemarie Hibbler at 814-865-1853 or by email: rqh7@psu.edu

Cooking with Kids video

Penn State Public Broadcasting has created a video about the inaugural Cooking with Kids Program.

You can find the video at: x02.ur.psu.edu/video/in_motion/cwk.html

Or, you can download a podcast at: streams.wpsx.psu.edu/Cooking_with_Kids04082.html

Q: Where do you go to find a Green machine?

A: To Greenlodgingnews.com
Managing what is fast becoming the “Go To” website for concerned managers, advertisers, and distributors in the hospitality industry, Greenlodgingnews.com publisher and editor, Glenn Hasek, took time from his busy schedule to speak with students in the School of Hospitality Management on April 24, 2008. Although it wasn’t intended, Glenn’s visit fell during Earth Week.

Speaking to Dan Mount’s Special Topics class, Hasek, discussed trends in the industry as they relate to the greening of the hospitality industry.

To sign up for Greenlodgingnews electronic newsletter, go to: www.greenlodgingnews.com

SHM Students Sweep National Scholarships Competition

Three Penn State students majoring in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management received the Roy Evans Scholarship from the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). The scholarships are for $5,000 and only five of these nation-wide scholarships are given out per year.

The winners were Sarah Quinteros-Fernandez, Ashley Akright, and Peter Diorio.

Sara A. Quinteros-Fernandez, daughter of Jorge A. Quinteros and Sara J. Fernandez of Mclean, Va., is a 2005 graduate of Mclean High School. She is the current vice-president of the Penn State chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) as well as fundraising chair for PSHRS. She is also involved in Students Helping Honduras, a non-profit organization run by students to raise money for orphaned children in El Progreso, Honduras.

Ashley Akright, daughter of Cara and Bud Akright of Harrisburg, Pa, and Hummelstown, Pa, is a 2005 graduate of Lower Dauphin High School. She is involved in many extra curricular activities, including the Professional Convention Management Association (Secretary), Penn State Dance Marathon (Captain), Penn State Homecoming (Captain), Fresh Start Overall Committee (Commonwealth Director), and Phi Gamma Nu.

Peter DiOrio, son of Jerry and Toni DiOrio of Hamilton, NJ, is a 2005 graduate of The Hun School of Princeton. He is the current president of the Penn State Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). He also serves as outreach chair for the Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society (PSHRS).

David Scypinski, senior vice president of Industry Relations for Starwood Hotels, says that Roy Evans, of who the scholarship is named, would be proud.

"Roy Evans is a lifelong friend; therefore, it is so special to have 3 great students from my alma mater, Penn State, receive scholarships in his name,” he said. I know he would not only approve but would also say how proud he was for our students to receive three out of the five offered!"

Faculty in the News…

Elwood L. Shafer, professor of tourism and environmental management at Penn State, was recently awarded the Society of American Foresters' (SAF) Golden Membership Award for fifty years of continuous membership.

The SAF is the national scientific and educational organization representing the forestry profession in the United States.

Shafer, a Fulbright research scholar, came to Penn State in 1984. He retired from the School of Hospitality Management in 2000. Shafer holds a bachelor degree in forest management from Penn State, a master's degree in forest management from Penn State and a doctoral degree in forest management from State University of New York at Syracuse.

Alumni in the News

Thomas B. Ruff (‘77 FSHA), senior vice president of The Biltmore Company in Asheville, North Carolina accepted a State Leadership Award on behalf of the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (AH&LA) on April 14, 2008.

This award, formerly known as the Most Valuable Volunteer Award, was created in 1998 to honor the many volunteers who help strengthen both AH&LA and their partner state associations.

The award is given for “innovation and motivation that has had an influential role in advancing the hospitality industry on the state and national level, said AH&LA president/CEO Joseph A. McInerney, CHA

Debra S. Ulrich (‘77 FSHA), will become president and CEO of Sysco Food Services of Pennsylvania, LLC, SYSCO’s broadline distribution subsidiary located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. North America's largest foodservice marketer and distributor announced the move effective July 1, 2008. Debbie currently serves as president of the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society.

The full press release is available at: http://news.moneycentral.msn.com

Monthly Update Archive

Send us your news - we'll include it in the School of Hospitality Monthly Update. Contact Vivienne Wildes at vjw100@psu.edu