Hospitality Management Program Hosts Mardi Gras Reception!

Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus hosted the Mardi Gras Moonrise Magic Reception on March 8th to raise funds for scholarships and support for its hospitality management program, which will officially launch in fall 2020. The event took place at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage. The Gala is the primary funding mechanism for the annual short-term study abroad to Italy held during Spring Break, which is being planned for 2021. From an academic standpoint, the Gala is an important experiential learning activity for the management course. It also helps promote and market the hospitality program, and of course it generates scholarships and financial aid for students to study abroad that is offered in tandem with the Global Seminar curriculum.

The reception had approximately 100 attendees, including students who volunteered for the event. The students, Nora Duenas, Jake Vargas, Kimberly Fuentes, Sofia Torres Crespo, Nicholas Conoway, Jonathan Lowell, David Garcia - Tlahuel, Cristian Cabrera and Baldomero Felix-Felix are concentrating or minoring in the Hospitality Management Program. They greeted and mingled with guests and participated in fundraising event activities. Attendees learned more about the exciting developments of the program, met the first enrolled students and enjoyed a wonderful evening. 

Some notable figures in attendance also include Director of the Hospitality Management Program Joseph Tormey, JHBC Dean Lawreance Rose, Palm Desert Campus Dean Jake Zhu, Provost Shari McMahan, and the Department of Marketing Chair Victoria Seitz, Senior Director of Development Julie Nichols, Marketing Professor Dr. Eric Newman and Chair of the Dean's Advisory Board Thomas Galindo.

The event was sponsored by Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, Desert Champions, The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage and The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa.