Our award winning faculty consists of recognized leaders in hospitality management education. In many cases our students are taught by the people who wrote their textbook. Our faculty are also well represented in the academic literature as authors, reviewers and editors. Their research examines critical industry trends that they bring into the classroom as well as considerable industry experiences. These attributes, along with a passion for hospitality business education, make for a team of professionals who are uniquely qualified to prepare the next generation for the challenges they will face as industry and community leaders.

The HRIM Department provides a business based liberal arts education. The curriculum was designed and is kept current with input from leading industry executives. HRIM students take the lessons learned in the classroom and apply them to the operation of two hospitality businesses on campus; the Vita Nova Restaurant and our Courtyard by Marriott Hotel.

Vita Nova is a fine dining restaurant where students learn all aspects of food and beverage operations. Our Courtyard by Marriott Hotel and the adjacent 40,000 square foot Clayton Hall Conference Center provide valuable experiences in lodging and conference management. By limiting undergraduate enrollment to one-hundred students per graduating class, we are able to ensure that every student is integrated into these facilities in a meaningful way.

At HRIM we strive to have a strong community of hospitality scholars within the larger university. It is what we call, “large enough to lead, small enough to care”. Our faculty and staff invite you to join us in what is a truly unique environment to prepare future leaders of the hospitality industry.