With restaurants such as Paragary's looking to recover from business downturns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the timing of a new Sac State degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management could be beneficial. (Sacramento State/Andrea Price)
By Dixie Reid
With timing that might seem to be a welcome coincidence, Sacramento State is adding a new bachelor of science degree that could help a key industry recover from effects of the coronavirus shutdown.
The new degree, in Hospitality and Tourism Management, was approved in May by CSU Chancellor Timothy White and debuts during the Fall 2020 semester, a hoped-for time of recovery for travel, hotel, and restaurant industries reeling from restrictions meant to stem the spread of COVID-19.
“It is, of course, somewhat ironic that we get final approval for the Hospitality and Tourism Management program in the middle of a global pandemic,” said Tony Sheppard, professor in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration (RPTA) and program coordinator. “But those industries can help in the return to normalcy.”
In Sacramento, he noted, restaurants that were unable for a time to serve the general public in-house had turned to providing meals for seniors and other community members — including some Sac State students — who face food insecurity. Takeout and curbside service has been allowed, but business nonetheless has been hit hard. Restaurant suppliers began to sell produce directly to consumers, and the state leased hotels and motels for emergency housing and medical facilities.
The new program, and the graduates it produces, could aid recovery.
“Tourism, handled well, can help communities safely rebuild,” Sheppard said. “These industries can absolutely make a difference in how we cope with and recover from global health emergencies. Perhaps the timing is actually excellent, as we train and prepare the next generation of professionals to be ready for events such as this.”
Getting to the point where Sac State could offer a full-fledged degree in Hospitality and Tourism Administration involved more than simply developing new coursework to reflect industry needs.
There was new faculty to hire, for instance. Sheppard said many students have industry experience and best respond to faculty who’ve worked in hospitality and tourism management. With an eye to creating a strong degree program, the University hired Christine Hur and Abhijeet Shirsat, who have that experience.
Hur’s international work experience includes serving as the event manager and business project manager for Hanwha Hotels and Resorts, in Seoul, South Korea. Shirsat has held management positions at the Four Seasons Resort, in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and England’s London Hilton, among others.
Another goal was to ensure that the new curriculum corresponds with coursework offered in community colleges, ensuring a smooth transition for students who transfer to Sacramento State.
Professionals in the field see the program’s potential.
“The program will provide graduates with real-world knowledge and skills they will need to hit the ground running, and it offers them a specific career path,” said Mike Testa, president and CEO of Visit Sacramento, an organization that markets Sacramento as a desirable destination for leisure and business. “There are a multitude of roles that need to be filled, and because of that, the industry is constantly in need of motivated young people.”
Testa noted that students will have several years in the classroom to amass knowledge about the industry and, with internships, will receive practical experience before they graduate.
“Visit Sacramento has been a strong advocate for this program since the beginning, as has the Sacramento Hotel Association,” said Greg Shaw, associate dean in the College of Health and Human Services and former chair of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management. “Those relationships will be important as the program launches."
Sac State has offered a limited number hospitality courses since the 1990s. Hospitality and Tourism Administration was introduced as a certificate program in 2016.
RPTA also offers bachelor’s degrees in Recreation Therapy, and Recreation and Park Management, as well as a master’s in Recreation Administration.