激情快播

In November 1963, Walt Disney took a flight over a sprawling swampland near Orlando that would later transform into the world鈥檚 most-visited theme park. A visionary, Disney knew the affordable acreage, year-round sunshine and proximity to major roadways and a new airport would be the perfect location to establish his iconic Walt Disney World Resort.

Coincidentally, the same year Disney took that flight, plans for a new university in Orlando were established under the vision of founding President Charles Millican. 激情快播, then called Florida Technological University, would hold its first classes five years later 鈥� three years before Walt Disney World Resort opened.

With Disney World as the centerpiece 鈥� and Universal Studios later cementing Orlando as the theme park capital of the world 鈥� the region鈥檚 hospitality and tourism industry has grown decade after decade. So, too, has 激情快播. Today, Central Florida鈥檚 tourism industry is valued at $87.6 billion in economic impact with 74 million visitors in 2022, according to Visit Orlando. This enormous industry depends on nearly 450,000 jobs 鈥� many of which are filled by graduates of 激情快播鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

Forty years ago, if you asked Rosen College founding Dean Abraham Pizam 鈥� another visionary 鈥� if 激情快播 would one day develop a world-renowned hospitality and tourism program, the answer would be yes. He saw what Disney saw, too: the incredible potential of Orlando.

Looking to diversify the technology university鈥檚 offerings, 激情快播鈥檚 then President Trevor Colbourn hired Pizam to establish a degree in hospitality management. Launched in 1983, the small program housed in 激情快播鈥檚 College of Business eventually evolved into Rosen College, which now ranks No. 1 nationally and in the top five internationally among hospitality and tourism programs, according to ShanghaiRanking.

Pizam, a faculty member from the University of Massachusetts, was the ideal candidate for his range of expertise, including a doctoral degree in business and a hotel administration and tourism postdoctoral fellowship completed at Cornell University. Answering the call to join 激情快播 was a clear yes for him, as well as the faculty he hired.

鈥淲hen I recruited these faculty members, the first thing I said was, 鈥楲ook at Orlando.鈥欌�� Pizam says. 鈥淚f this program was in a different location, we would not have been successful in creating such a great program and attracting such great faculty members 鈥� even myself.鈥�

The hospitality management program鈥檚 first cohort included 70 students studying about a dozen courses taught by a handful of faculty. After three years, Pizam wanted to elevate the program to keep up with Orlando鈥檚 demand for hospitality professionals. He knew food and beverage service courses were needed to prepare students for jobs across the many attractions, hotels and restaurants nearby. However, some members of the college鈥檚 leadership team didn鈥檛 see the value in expanding.

Without adequate faculty to teach and develop new curricula, the program struggled. And people noticed.

In 1998, an Orlando Sentinel article criticized 激情快播鈥檚 鈥渓ess-than-stellar hospitality program鈥� and mentioned local industry leaders felt it was underperforming. The negative comments inspired philanthropist and hotelier Harris Rosen to donate to more than student scholarships 鈥� investing $18.2 million to not only bolster the program, but create a college around it.

Rosen approached 激情快播 with a proposal to build a resort-style campus near a property he was developing on Universal Boulevard. With matching state funding, he created and donated the campus to 激情快播, placing it in the heart of Orlando鈥檚 hospitality and tourism industry, and next to his Rosen Shingle Creek resort.

鈥淢r. Rosen has always been supportive. He continues to give thousands of dollars for student scholarships,鈥� Pizam says. 鈥淭he friendship between me and Mr. Rosen [who is also a Cornell University graduate] increased over the years, and all three of his children graduated from Rosen College. Beyond his generous investments and support for students鈥� success, that signaled he truly believes in the value of a Rosen College education.鈥�

When Rosen College opened in 2004, with Pizam as the founding dean, six instructors taught 250 students. The 159,000-square-foot campus now has 70 full-time faculty members, including international experts from 18 countries, teaching 3,000 students. With 18 high-tech classrooms, three test kitchens, two computer labs and a beer and wine lab, the college has extensive facilities to train students in just about every aspect of the industry.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very rare to find a hospitality and tourism college of this scale,鈥� says Rosen College Associate Dean and Visit Orlando Endowed Chair of Tourism Marketing Alan Fyall. 鈥淭hey tend to be small programs. They tend to be in business schools or colleges of social sciences. There are very few around the world that are standalone colleges of hospitality.鈥�

Fyall, a British native and former professor at Bournemouth University鈥檚 School of Tourism, is one of Rosen College鈥檚 international faculty members. After visiting for a presentation, he knew he wanted to join the college, which is a common result when experts come to campus. Within the past year, instructors and researchers have joined from Fiji, Ghana and India, to name a few.

It鈥檚 been a deliberate strategy to have international faculty here because hospitality is, by its nature, all about people, and a lot of the [industry serves] international [customers].鈥�

鈥淓verybody is awed by the campus and its beauty when they come here, which is great, but it鈥檚 the people that make Rosen feel right,鈥� Fyall says. 鈥淭hat remains what makes us a leader. We have really good faculty members. It鈥檚 been a deliberate strategy to have international faculty here because hospitality is, by its nature, all about people, and a lot of the [industry serves] international [customers].鈥�

When the COVID-19 pandemic halted tourism around the world, hospitality programs were hit hard. Many reduced 20% to 50% in size and some even closed, according to Pizam.

Rosen College, however, only saw a 5% decline in enrollment.

鈥淲hen COVID hit, we got incredibly busy because so many people were out of work or furloughed, so they came to study,鈥� Fyall says.

He notes this was due to the same factors that contribute to Rosen鈥檚 top rankings: its perfect location, extensive faculty research and variety of students, instructors and degree programs.

Rosen College offers 22 degrees and certificates 鈥� including undergraduate and graduate offerings 鈥� for students to learn to how to manage food and beverage service, entertainment, events, finance, information technology, restaurants and more.

One of the newest degree offerings is event leadership, an online master鈥檚 program that prepares working professionals to take their careers to the next level. Selina Mullenax 鈥�12, an event management alum and account executive with CORT Events, is part of the first cohort that launched last fall.

鈥淭he events industry has changed a lot in the past 10 years, into a niche all its own,鈥� says Mullenax, a member of the Rosen College Dean鈥檚 Alumni Advisory Board. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an opportunity for people who want to lead the change. It鈥檚 no surprise that 激情快播 is out in front.鈥�

Already a leader in her field, Mullenax says one of the biggest benefits of the program is the access to insight from Rosen alums across various industries.

鈥淲hat I love about the program is we all come from different backgrounds,鈥� Mullenax says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a restaurant owner in there. There鈥檚 an entertainer who wants to open an entertainment company. There are obviously people from Universal Studios (and other theme parks). Sharing and learning about the differences in our experiences is my favorite part.鈥�

With 3.5 million jobs lost across the hospitality and tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Economic Policy Institute, the industry is in great need of talent 鈥� which is why career opportunities for Rosen College graduates are better than ever.

Both before and after the pandemic, nearly every Rosen College graduate has landed a job in their field. That鈥檚 largely because students must complete at least three internships to earn their degree. To help them secure those valuable positions, the college leverages its connections with more than 800 companies to host many job and internship fairs, including Disney Days and Universal Days dedicated to each theme park giant.

Annually, Rosen College students earn about $14 million to $15 million through internship and co-op experiences, according to college leadership. Rosen College faculty and administration believe in the quality of their students and their contributions to these companies, and they recognize the value in return, which is why every internship is paid.

Josh Liebman 鈥�09 鈥�12MS is among the Rosen College alums who credit these experiences and the college鈥檚 curriculum with accelerating his career. He is a guest experience consultant for attractions, hospitality and tourism after starting his career working for Orlando鈥檚 major theme parks.

As a teenager, Liebman says he fell in love with the thrill of roller coasters and chose to attend 激情快播 to learn more about theme parks. His interests broadened while earning a bachelor鈥檚 in hospitality management and he went on to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in the field.

鈥淸As a graduate student], it was really interesting to be working full time 鈥� whether it was at Universal Studios or when I was opening Legoland 鈥� and being able to take these academic papers I was studying and say, 鈥極K, this is what research scholars say. Let鈥檚 implement this here in our operations and with our guest experience.鈥欌��

After completing his master鈥檚, Liebman attended a career fair where he met the owner of F&G Hospitality Consulting. Although he had only worked in theme parks at that point, he accepted a job at the company and entered the world of top-tier lodging brands like Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Today, Liebman runs a consulting business where he works with theme and amusement parks, zoos, museums, aquariums, family entertainment centers and short-term rentals to help amplify the guest experience and hospitality.

Long before Orlando became synonymous with theme parks and hospitality, Florida already had a strong reputation for tourism. Home to national parks 鈥� like the Everglades and Dry Tortugas 鈥� and beautiful beaches and springs, the Sunshine State鈥檚 natural sites continue to attract millions of visitors annually

We can use the economic power of tourism to shape these coastal destinations, to turn them into restoration projects.鈥�

鈥淲e are lucky here in Florida. We can take advantage of those amenities to create an economy that is based around them,鈥� says Assistant Professor of Tourism, Events and Attractions Sergio Alvarez.

Alvarez is a natural resources economist who previously worked for the Florida Department of Agriculture. He鈥檚 a member of the 激情快播 Coastal Faculty Cluster Initiative and studies how to mitigate threats to coastlines and waterways. His work is an example of the unique interdisciplinary research that sets Rosen College apart from other hospitality programs and makes a broader difference across Florida 鈥� and even the world. In 2022, Alvarez was part of a team of 激情快播 researchers that presented at the United Nations Ocean Conference on the topic of sustainable coastal and marine tourism.

鈥淲e can use the economic power of tourism to shape these coastal destinations, to turn them into restoration projects in a similar way that theme parks reinvest some of their proceeds to upgrade their facilities or to build new ones,鈥� Alvarez says.

Among the solutions he and other 激情快播 Coastal experts are exploring is investing in solutions to promote stronger, healthier ecosystems.

Most of the sandy shores of Florida鈥檚 beaches are manmade, with nearly $2 billion spent since 1935 on dredging sand from the bottom of the ocean to reverse erosion and create wider beaches, according to the National Beach Nourishment Database.

鈥淭he beach has a lot of life, but we could spend resources restoring marshlands, seagrass and mangroves that would be, in essence, more sustainable,鈥� Alvarez says. 鈥淲e won鈥檛 have to replant mangroves, [which help prevent erosion], over and over like we have to do with the beach.鈥�

Another major issue affecting Florida鈥檚 coastal tourism is red tide, a harmful algal bloom that poses threats to people and animals, and creates a foul odor. While the tide is naturally occurring, human activity has caused it to become more frequent 鈥� killing sea creatures, creating environmental issues and ruining beach days, to say the least. In 2018, the west coast of Florida experienced a persistent red tide that lasted until 2019 and resulted in a $2.7 billion loss for the tourism industry and Florida鈥檚 economy, according to a National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science study that Alvarez contributed to.

One of the leading causes of this threat is runoff from lawns treated with fertilizer, including homes, resorts, golf courses and other attractions with lush landscaping. The runoff creates an excess of nutrients that feed the microorganisms. Some Florida counties even ban the use of fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus during wet seasons, but Alvarez says more solutions need to be identified. 激情快播 Coastal faculty are exploring ways to combat red tide, such as using a clay solution to sink the algal bloom and prevent it from coming closer to shorelines.

Across Florida鈥檚 springs and rivers, water quality is also an issue, with runoff making it unsafe for people to swim and fish. High volumes of visitors also impact ecosystems by killing seagrass, whether it鈥檚 boat propellers or swimmers, impacting the nutrient balance of the environment and animals鈥� diets.

鈥淲e will have to restore our waterways if we want to maintain this attractiveness that the state of Florida has,鈥� Alvarez says. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 just have an extractive mentality. That is not the right way to manage these natural attractions. To ensure that we have these attractions for future generations and, really, to maximize their value over time, we need to care for them today.鈥�

To remain at the forefront of the hospitality and tourism industry, Rosen College is looking to increase its interdisciplinary expertise and teachings. Among the areas being explored is one Pizam has been driving for years.

鈥淢y vision was always that we can be not only the largest, but also the best,鈥� Pizam says. 鈥淢y vision is that hospitality is more than an industry. Hospitality is also a culture. If it is a culture, we can adopt it in other similar industries [like we have in the] event industry, theme park and attraction industry, and community living management. Now my vision is to apply it to the healthcare industry as well.鈥�

Pizam, who is 86, was hospitalized for an extended period after surviving a stroke. That鈥檚 when he realized healthcare facilities could greatly improve interactions with those in need of care. One-third of patients surveyed noted they had a negative experience with a healthcare provider, hospital or pharmacy, according to a 2021 report from Accenture.

鈥淚f there is an industry that needs to adopt a hospitality culture, it鈥檚 healthcare,鈥� Pizam says.

Faculty from Rosen College already include examples from healthcare case studies in several courses. They also collaborate with the 激情快播 College of Medicine to offer a Culinary Medicine elective that combines the science of food and nutrition with healthy cooking techniques. Students learn from physicians, dietitians and chefs to understand the role food plays in good health and management of disease.

鈥淢y vision is that hospitality is more than an industry. Hospitality is also a culture.鈥�

鈥� Abraham Pizam, Rosen College founding dean and Linda Chapin Eminent Scholar Chair in Tourism Management

鈥淥ur hope is that [Rosen College will conduct] research and education to improve what [the healthcare industry] calls the 鈥榗ustomer experience鈥� and what we call 鈥榩atient satisfaction,鈥� 鈥� says Pizam, who aims for Rosen College to also increase partnerships with 激情快播鈥檚 College of Nursing and College of Health Professions and Sciences.

As Lake Nona鈥檚 Medical City 鈥� where 激情快播’s College of Medicine and Academic Health Sciences Center are located 鈥� continues to develop, it鈥檚 becoming a destination for high-quality healthcare services. Expanding Rosen College鈥檚 reach to this industry, and specifically Management in this location, may help Central Florida secure a reputation for a different type of tourism.

Last year, Michael Chiang 鈥�20MS 鈥�22MD became the first 激情快播 medical school graduate who also earned a master鈥檚 in hospitality and tourism management. Through his clinical experiences, he was reminded of the importance of soft skills associated with hospitality 鈥� which he also learned about growing up with a mother who worked in an assisted living home.

鈥淚 think that gets to the heart of what hospitality is. It鈥檚 trying to give people who walked through the door the best possible experience,鈥� Chiang said in an episode of 激情快播鈥檚 Knights Do That podcast. 鈥淪o, for me as a [future] emergency doctor, it is trying to recognize that people who come in are 鈥� in an extremely vulnerable place and when you see them, they not only want you to 鈥� address whatever detrimental life situations they might encounter, but also to [make them] feel at ease.鈥�

To this day, Pizam is still a believer in the great potential of Orlando and its tourism sector. He can envision even more possibilities for 激情快播 to play a role in not just expanding the field, but spreading the culture of hospitality across other industries.

鈥淭he secret to success, even in academia, is adapting to changes and having a vision for the future and making it happen now. That鈥檚 where we鈥檝e been very successful,鈥� Pizam says. 鈥淲e have seen the future of the tourism industry and it is bright. And with the bright future of the industry, we will have a bright future for Rosen College.鈥�