Hospitality leadership major, director debut this fall

08/22/2011 9:42 AM

By Ivy Hillman ’12

Bradley University’s new major in hospitality leadership promises a variety of careers and opportunities for students after graduation. The program will lead students toward careers in restaurant and hotel management, as well as event planning and catering. This summer Kara Wolfe was named director of the program.

“This is going to be a good program for Bradley and the students who choose to pursue it. Top-quality schools such as Purdue and Iowa State also have a hospitality leadership program, but ours offers some unique opportunities,” Wolfe said.

In Bradley’s program, students can gain experience in foodservice operation, become a global scholar or apply to work at a Walt Disney Resort for a semester. They may also pursue a Hollywood internship. To graduate, students must complete 640 internship hours and all of these opportunities will be applicable toward graduation.

Hospitality leadership majors will have a minor in either management, marketing or professional sales. The major requires a minimum of 45 hours in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

“This major gives students so many opportunities. No matter what direction they choose to take the major in, they can get jobs locally, nationally or even internationally. For example, the Peoria Civic Center would have many opportunities for a hospitality leadership major, including catering and planning,” Wolfe said.

Just like the program, Wolfe is new to Bradley. “I was drawn to Bradley because it is a top-notch school. I also love the size of the town of Peoria, which has a large amount of opportunities for students looking to pursue this major. It’s something of a living laboratory for students,” said Wolfe, who worked for North Dakota State University for nine years before coming to Bradley.

Wolfe has high hopes for the program and students who will graduate as hospitality leadership majors.

“I want students to develop skills to be useful in this industry. I also want to raise awareness and respect for the industry – working at a restaurant isn’t just for someone without a degree. Management can be a very well respected job opportunity,” Wolfe said.