WE ARE

hospitality

Viewbook

l “Hospitality consists in a little fire,

a little food, and an

immense quiet.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

l

In essence, hospitality is the practice of receiving and

entertaining guests, visitors or strangers with kindness.

Emerson’s definition, both literally and figuratively, still

resonates today. For what could be kinder than providing

a guest with warmth, food and quiet? And what could be

more fitting for students studying hospitality management

than to have a fire and passion for the industry, the

intellectual sustenance of learning and knowledge, and the

quiet confidence needed to lead and succeed in the highly

competitive global hospitality industry?

At Hilton College, hospitality is also an experience. And

so is learning. Through experiential learning, we offer up the

world outside our traditional classroom and, in doing so,

open the door to unexplored career paths and tremendous

opportunity for our graduates.

As a world leader in hospitality education, we take

the business of hospitality very personally. Hospitality is

personal. Hospitality is an extension of who we are.

WE ARE

hospitality

At the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, hospitality means training the future leaders of the hospitality industry to create and deliver a special guest experience for all sectors of hospitality.

There are dozens of ways to define hospitality.

We are Hilton College.

WE ARE hospitality.

I

dss

W

Opening doors

We are Hilton College. We are consistently ranked one of the top hospitality

programs in the world. We are considered a world leader in hospitality education.

Our graduates make a profound impact on the global hospitality industry.

How can we make such bold statements? We don’t. But our alumni and students

certainly do! And industry leaders and recruiters from all sectors of hospitality

tell us they agree. The Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston is a great

college, as exemplified by the successful careers of our 6,500+ alumni who work in leadership positions in more

than 50 countries around the world. And we aren’t talking entry-level management positions—many of our alums

own their own businesses and are presidents and CEOs of major hospitality companies both here and abroad. Our

alumni lead the industry because they received their training here at Hilton College—the first hospitality school in

Texas; the college founded by hotel icon Conrad N. Hilton in 1969.

We have earned a stellar reputation as a rigorous, top-notch program that consistently produces the hospitality

leaders of tomorrow. Simply stated, the success of our mission is evidenced by the success of our alumni. Our

students come here from around the corner and around the world for what they consider to be “The Destination”

for hospitality management education. And they have a singular passion for hospitality. Recruiters also respond

favorably to the quality of our students and to our relevant curriculum. To that end, major hospitality companies

attend our career fairs and visit us regularly to look for promising candidates. They never leave disappointed.

With our passionate students, accomplished faculty, experiential learning opportunities second to none, a

first-rate teaching hotel, and industry relationships more than 40 years in the making, there is no better place

for students interested in pursuing careers in this dynamic industry. We provide leading-edge teaching and

a curriculum that stays in step with the needs of the industry. We pursue purposeful research. We produce

exceptional graduates who are equipped with the skills and resources necessary to lead the industry into the future.

Indeed, our reputation speaks volumes about our success, but the success of our students and alumni speaks even louder.

dWe have dozens of assets that set us apart from other hospitality programs,

all of which have a dramatic impact on the employability of our graduates.

For example:

Hilton College is one of only two programs in the country that owns and operates its own

teaching hotel.We benefit immensely from the generosity of hundreds of benefactors.

We have the resources of a major public research university. Our location in the fourth largest city in the country means opportunity

with more than 55,000 hotel rooms and 11,000 restaurants.

We are the most diverse hospitality program in the world

in terms of students, curriculum, environment and opportunity.

Our small student body fosters an uncommon sense of community that connects us all.

Our faculty is dedicated, experienced, passionate and active in the industry.

We offer experiential learning that provides

essential hands-on experiences and leadership opportunities outside the traditional classroom.

Our comprehensive research facilities include several food science labs and

the new Massad Family Library Research Center and Hospitality Industry Archives.

We are home to several prestigious, national institutes that link academia and industry.

Why WE ARE hospitality

All this…and then some…

We have much to offer our students and the industry. And there is nothing bold about that statement.

It simply “is.”

pW

Passion so strong it’s palpable.

You feel it in our classrooms.

You see it in the faces of our students.

And it’s evidenced every day by the successful careers

of our graduates who bring that same zeal and energy

into the leadership positions they hold throughout

the industry. Our passion for hospitality and service is

infectious. Our faculty feels it, too. And it shows.

In their commitment to teaching excellence and in

their unwavering dedication to our students’ success.

WE ARE

passions

s

qWE ARE

academics

lLD I D Y O U K N O W ?

Many Hilton College students are also enrolled in the Honors College. The Honors College community serves the University’s most academically talented undergraduates by offering

small classes designed to encourage creativity, critical thinking and effective communications.

We know hospitality. And we don’t just talk the talk, we’ve walked it.

Championed by an experienced faculty that has extensive credentials in all sectors of

hospitality and is active in industry-related research, our academic programs combine a

specialized business education with experiential learning. Whether our students graduate

with a BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management or an MS in Hospitality Management,

both degree programs offer a curriculum that is comprehensive,

current and immediately applicable to the industry.

Our students call this College home.

Small, intimate, inclusive.

Immediately, everyone belongs.

With only 1,000 undergraduates and 100

graduate students, Hilton College fosters

an uncommon sense of community. It’s this

sense of community that differentiates us.

It’s this sense of community that connects us

all. Students from 34 countries study here,

mirroring in our classrooms the cultural

diversity of the global hospitality industry.

And it’s the welcoming embrace of community

that creates the ideal environment to learn,

grow and make lifelong friends.

WE ARE

communitys

s

lLD I D Y O U K N O W ?

Our students work and learn in the Hilton University of Houston, which is currently rated in the top 10 percent of guest satisfaction scores for all Hilton-branded properties. The hotel serves as a real-world training laboratory where students gain hands-on

experience in guest services and hotel operations.

qWE ARE

experience

From the everyday ordinary to the extraordinary. We want our students to experience it all.

By opening the doors of our classrooms to the world, learning takes place

as easily in a sun-drenched vineyard as it does in a bustling casino, quiet seaside resort,

or local wine and food festival. Internships, study-abroad programs, an enhanced

Student Leadership Program, hands-on labs and student-produced College events

extend the boundaries of our classrooms even further.

And when the world is your classroom, experiential learning has no limits.

qWE ARE

leaders

lLD I D Y O U K N O W ?

The research operations of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals are housed at Hilton College.

The College is also home to the Massad Family Library Research Center and Hospitality Industry Archives—the world’s largest repository of the hospitality industry.

LBig, vibrant and multicultural.

UH is the second most ethnically diverse research university in the country.

More than 38,500 students from 137 countries attend one of our 12 top-rated

colleges to prepare for their futures in one of our more than 300 undergraduate and

graduate programs. Yes, we are Houston’s university, but today our

student body reflects the diversity—and choice—of students

from around the country and around the world.

WE ARE

lLD I D Y O U K N O W ?

The University of Houston is one of only three Carnegie-designated Tier One public research universities in Texas. The Princeton Review has also named UH one of the best colleges

in the nation for undergraduate education.

University of Houston

lWE ARE

hospitalitys

s

l

WE ARE

hospitality

Viewbook

WE ARE

hospitality

Visit us at www.hrm.uh.edu

We invite you to contact us to learn more:Office of the Dean – 713.743.2607

Office of Development – 713.743.2738Director of Enrollment – 713.743.2446

Career Placement Services – 713.743.2423

This viewbook was produced by the Hilton College Office of Communications. Design: Keith Nickerson Photography: Paul Ladd Copywriting: Debra Kay Maurer

Architectural Photography: Aker Imaging

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON IS AN EEO/AA INSTITUTION. 8.2011/20M/KN/CPY

THE MISSION

of the Conrad N. Hilton College

of Hotel and Restaurant Management

at the University of Houston is to prepare

individuals for industry management

and leadership by providing a quality

hospitality education and ongoing

professional development, as well as to be

recognized globally as a premier learning

environment through teaching,

research and service excellence.