Students had opportunities to interact with business owners and operators in the manufacturing and services sectors of wine, food products, retail, hospitality and tourism.
The group attended the New York Restaurant Show and had the opportunity to network with industry professionals and peers.
The gala, called “Spirit of Polynesia,” will feature classic Tiki cocktails and mocktails, as well as native dishes influenced by Southeast Asia, Europe and South America. It will also showcase program developments, introduce students in the program and recognize sponsors and donors.
The partnership leverages CSUSB’s renowned expertise in entrepreneurship education and innovation alongside the city’s commitment to cultivating a thriving business environment.
A component of the three-day event was a stop at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus for a special presentation. In addition, on the second day of the summit, Robert Nava, vice president University Advancement, participated in roundtable discussion with Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis on how PDC serves the region’s higher education needs.
Students participated in a variety of activities, visited iconic landmarks and immersed themselves in Italian culture.
Students will go behind the scenes at various venues and attractions and interact with local professionals at numerous cultural points of interest.
“New York, New York” was a festive evening of iconic New York City foods, classic cocktails and music that showcased program developments, introduced hospitality program students and featured student DJs from PDC’s Paws Radio.
Bryan Castillo (geological sciences) was interviewed about whether earthquakes can be predicted, Miranda M. McIntyre (psychology) published research on the subjective characteristics of individual differences in interests, and Joseph Tormey (hospitality management) and Eric Newman (marketing) published a paper on the use of social media marketing to promote the hospitality management program.