The immersive program, which took place during their spring break in April, was designed to provide students with firsthand exposure to the vibrant hospitality industry of Italy and offered participants hands-on learning and professional development opportunities.
Michelle Russen (hospitality management/marketing) worked with a team to publish a study on masculine and feminine leadership traits in hospitality managers, and Mike Stull (entrepreneurship) was interviewed for the radio program “Southern California Business Report.”
The lecture series launches its spring semester talks with a presentation by Debora Perez Torres, assistant professor of communication studies, on Feb. 12. Also scheduled are presentations by Michelle Russen (marketing), Yolonda Youngs (geography) and Hannah Kivalahula-Uddin (education). All talks are free and open to the public.
Students from various disciplines presented their creative activities, scholarly works and research to faculty jurors who rated their posters.
Students had opportunities to interact with business owners and operators in the manufacturing and services sectors of wine, food products, retail, hospitality and tourism.
Brian Levin (criminal justice) was interviewed about hate crimes in California and two manhunts for escaped prisoners on the East Coast; Diane Vines was honored by the city of Palm Desert and discussed a grant for the Nursing Street Medicine program; and Michelle Russen (marketing/hospitality management) published a paper and contributed a chapter to a book on DEI in the hospitality industry.
Eric Vogelsang (sociology) was quoted in an article about Gen Xers making career changes, Brian Levin (criminal justice) discussed the rise of anti-LGBTQ incidents, and Michelle Russen (marketing/hospitality management) co-authored a study on how organizations can create a more inclusive atmosphere.
The group had the opportunity to explore the city and network with hospitality industry insiders.