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In November 1963, Walt Disney took a flight over a sprawling swampland near Orlando that would later transform into the world 麻豆精品 S檚 most-visited theme park. A visionary, Disney knew the affordable acreage, year-round sunshine and proximity to major roadways and a new airport would be the perfect location to establish his iconic Walt Disney World Resort.

Coincidentally, the same year Disney took that flight, plans for a new university in Orlando were established under the vision of founding President Charles Millican. UCF, then called Florida Technological University, would hold its first classes five years later 麻豆精品 S� three years before Walt Disney World Resort opened.

With Disney World as the centerpiece 麻豆精品 S� and Universal Studios later cementing Orlando as the theme park capital of the world 麻豆精品 S� the region 麻豆精品 S檚 hospitality and tourism industry has grown decade after decade. So, too, has UCF. Today, Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 tourism industry is valued at $87.6 billion in economic impact with 74 million visitors in 2022, according to Visit Orlando. This enormous industry depends on nearly 450,000 jobs 麻豆精品 S� many of which are filled by graduates of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

Forty years ago, if you asked Rosen College founding Dean Abraham Pizam 麻豆精品 S� another visionary 麻豆精品 S� if UCF would one day develop a world-renowned hospitality and tourism program, the answer would be yes. He saw what Disney saw, too: the incredible potential of Orlando.

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 then President Trevor Colbourn hired Pizam to establish a degree in hospitality management. Launched in 1983, the small program housed in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Business eventually evolved into Rosen College, which now ranks No. 1 nationally and in the top five internationally among hospitality and tourism programs, according to ShanghaiRanking.

Pizam, a faculty member from the University of Massachusetts, was the ideal candidate for his range of expertise, including a doctoral degree in business and a hotel administration and tourism postdoctoral fellowship completed at Cornell University. Answering the call to join UCF was a clear yes for him, as well as the faculty he hired.

麻豆精品 S淲hen I recruited these faculty members, the first thing I said was, 麻豆精品 S楲ook at Orlando. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Pizam says. 麻豆精品 S淚f this program was in a different location, we would not have been successful in creating such a great program and attracting such great faculty members 麻豆精品 S� even myself. 麻豆精品 S�

The hospitality management program 麻豆精品 S檚 first cohort included 70 students studying about a dozen courses taught by a handful of faculty. After three years, Pizam wanted to elevate the program to keep up with Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 demand for hospitality professionals. He knew food and beverage service courses were needed to prepare students for jobs across the many attractions, hotels and restaurants nearby. However, some members of the college 麻豆精品 S檚 leadership team didn 麻豆精品 S檛 see the value in expanding.

Without adequate faculty to teach and develop new curricula, the program struggled. And people noticed.

In 1998, an Orlando Sentinel article criticized UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 麻豆精品 S渓ess-than-stellar hospitality program 麻豆精品 S� and mentioned local industry leaders felt it was underperforming. The negative comments inspired philanthropist and hotelier Harris Rosen to donate to more than student scholarships 麻豆精品 S� investing $18.2 million to not only bolster the program, but create a college around it.

Rosen approached UCF with a proposal to build a resort-style campus near a property he was developing on Universal Boulevard. With matching state funding, he created and donated the campus to UCF, placing it in the heart of Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 hospitality and tourism industry, and next to his Rosen Shingle Creek resort.

麻豆精品 S淢r. Rosen has always been supportive. He continues to give thousands of dollars for student scholarships, 麻豆精品 S� Pizam says. 麻豆精品 S淭he friendship between me and Mr. Rosen [who is also a Cornell University graduate] increased over the years, and all three of his children graduated from Rosen College. Beyond his generous investments and support for students 麻豆精品 S� success, that signaled he truly believes in the value of a Rosen College education. 麻豆精品 S�

When Rosen College opened in 2004, with Pizam as the founding dean, six instructors taught 250 students. The 159,000-square-foot campus now has 70 full-time faculty members, including international experts from 18 countries, teaching 3,000 students. With 18 high-tech classrooms, three test kitchens, two computer labs and a beer and wine lab, the college has extensive facilities to train students in just about every aspect of the industry.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 very rare to find a hospitality and tourism college of this scale, 麻豆精品 S� says Rosen College Associate Dean and Visit Orlando Endowed Chair of Tourism Marketing Alan Fyall. 麻豆精品 S淭hey tend to be small programs. They tend to be in business schools or colleges of social sciences. There are very few around the world that are standalone colleges of hospitality. 麻豆精品 S�

Fyall, a British native and former professor at Bournemouth University 麻豆精品 S檚 School of Tourism, is one of Rosen College 麻豆精品 S檚 international faculty members. After visiting for a presentation, he knew he wanted to join the college, which is a common result when experts come to campus.

麻豆精品 S淓verybody is awed by the campus and its beauty when they come here, which is great, but it 麻豆精品 S檚 the people that make Rosen feel right, 麻豆精品 S� Fyall says. 麻豆精品 S淭hat remains what makes us a leader. We have really good faculty members. 麻豆精品 S�

When the COVID-19 pandemic halted tourism around the world, hospitality programs were hit hard. Many reduced 20% to 50% in size and some even closed, according to Pizam.

Rosen College, however, only saw a 5% decline in enrollment.

麻豆精品 S淲hen COVID hit, we got incredibly busy because so many people were out of work or furloughed, so they came to study, 麻豆精品 S� Fyall says.

He notes this was due to the same factors that contribute to Rosen 麻豆精品 S檚 top rankings: its perfect location, extensive faculty research and variety of students, instructors and degree programs.

Rosen College offers 22 degrees and certificates 麻豆精品 S� including undergraduate and graduate offerings 麻豆精品 S� for students to learn to how to manage food and beverage service, entertainment, events, finance, information technology, restaurants and more.

One of the newest degree offerings is event leadership, an online master 麻豆精品 S檚 program that prepares working professionals to take their careers to the next level. Selina Mullenax 麻豆精品 S�12, an event management alum and account executive with CORT Events, is part of the first cohort that launched last fall.

麻豆精品 S淭he events industry has changed a lot in the past 10 years, into a niche all its own, 麻豆精品 S� says Mullenax, a member of the Rosen College Dean 麻豆精品 S檚 Alumni Advisory Board. 麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 an opportunity for people who want to lead the change. It 麻豆精品 S檚 no surprise that UCF is out in front. 麻豆精品 S�

Already a leader in her field, Mullenax says one of the biggest benefits of the program is the access to insight from Rosen alums across various industries.

麻豆精品 S淲hat I love about the program is we all come from different backgrounds, 麻豆精品 S� Mullenax says. 麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a restaurant owner in there. There 麻豆精品 S檚 an entertainer who wants to open an entertainment company. There are obviously people from Universal Studios (and other theme parks). Sharing and learning about the differences in our experiences is my favorite part. 麻豆精品 S�

With 3.5 million jobs lost across the hospitality and tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Economic Policy Institute, the industry is in great need of talent 麻豆精品 S� which is why career opportunities for Rosen College graduates are better than ever.

Both before and after the pandemic, nearly every Rosen College graduate has landed a job in their field. That 麻豆精品 S檚 largely because students must complete at least three internships to earn their degree. To help them secure those valuable positions, the college leverages its connections with more than 800 companies to host many job and internship fairs, including Disney Days and Universal Days dedicated to each theme park giant.

Annually, Rosen College students earn about $14 million to $15 million through internship and co-op experiences, according to college leadership. Rosen College faculty and administration believe in the quality of their students and their contributions to these companies, and they recognize the value in return, which is why every internship is paid.

Josh Liebman 麻豆精品 S�09 麻豆精品 S�12MS is among the Rosen College alums who credit these experiences and the college 麻豆精品 S檚 curriculum with accelerating his career. He is a guest experience consultant for attractions, hospitality and tourism after starting his career working for Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 major theme parks.

As a teenager, Liebman says he fell in love with the thrill of roller coasters and chose to attend UCF to learn more about theme parks. His interests broadened while earning a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 in hospitality management and he went on to pursue a master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in the field.

麻豆精品 S淸As a graduate student], it was really interesting to be working full time 麻豆精品 S� whether it was at Universal Studios or when I was opening Legoland 麻豆精品 S� and being able to take these academic papers I was studying and say, 麻豆精品 S極K, this is what research scholars say. Let 麻豆精品 S檚 implement this here in our operations and with our guest experience. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�

After completing his master 麻豆精品 S檚, Liebman attended a career fair where he met the owner of F&G Hospitality Consulting. Although he had only worked in theme parks at that point, he accepted a job at the company and entered the world of top-tier lodging brands like Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Today, Liebman runs a consulting business where he works with theme and amusement parks, zoos, museums, aquariums, family entertainment centers and short-term rentals to help amplify the guest experience and hospitality.

Long before Orlando became synonymous with theme parks and hospitality, Florida already had a strong reputation for tourism. Home to national parks 麻豆精品 S� like the Everglades and Dry Tortugas 麻豆精品 S� and beautiful beaches and springs, the Sunshine State 麻豆精品 S檚 natural sites continue to attract millions of visitors annually

We can use the economic power of tourism to shape these coastal destinations, to turn them into restoration projects. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淲e are lucky here in Florida. We can take advantage of those amenities to create an economy that is based around them, 麻豆精品 S� says Assistant Professor of Tourism, Events and Attractions Sergio Alvarez.

Alvarez is a natural resources economist who previously worked for the Florida Department of Agriculture. He 麻豆精品 S檚 a member of the UCF Coastal Faculty Cluster Initiative and studies how to mitigate threats to coastlines and waterways. His work is an example of the unique interdisciplinary research that sets Rosen College apart from other hospitality programs and makes a broader difference across Florida 麻豆精品 S� and even the world. In 2022, Alvarez was part of a team of UCF researchers that presented at the United Nations Ocean Conference on the topic of sustainable coastal and marine tourism.

麻豆精品 S淲e can use the economic power of tourism to shape these coastal destinations, to turn them into restoration projects in a similar way that theme parks reinvest some of their proceeds to upgrade their facilities or to build new ones, 麻豆精品 S� Alvarez says.

Among the solutions he and other UCF Coastal experts are exploring is investing in solutions to promote stronger, healthier ecosystems.

Most of the sandy shores of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 beaches are manmade, with nearly $2 billion spent since 1935 on dredging sand from the bottom of the ocean to reverse erosion and create wider beaches, according to the National Beach Nourishment Database.

麻豆精品 S淭he beach has a lot of life, but we could spend resources restoring marshlands, seagrass and mangroves that would be, in essence, more sustainable, 麻豆精品 S� Alvarez says. 麻豆精品 S淲e won 麻豆精品 S檛 have to replant mangroves, [which help prevent erosion], over and over like we have to do with the beach. 麻豆精品 S�

Another major issue affecting Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 coastal tourism is red tide, a harmful algal bloom that poses threats to people and animals, and creates a foul odor. While the tide is naturally occurring, human activity has caused it to become more frequent 麻豆精品 S� killing sea creatures, creating environmental issues and ruining beach days, to say the least. In 2018, the west coast of Florida experienced a persistent red tide that lasted until 2019 and resulted in a $2.7 billion loss for the tourism industry and Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 economy, according to a National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science study that Alvarez contributed to.

One of the leading causes of this threat is runoff from lawns treated with fertilizer, including homes, resorts, golf courses and other attractions with lush landscaping. The runoff creates an excess of nutrients that feed the microorganisms. Some Florida counties even ban the use of fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus during wet seasons, but Alvarez says more solutions need to be identified. UCF Coastal faculty are exploring ways to combat red tide, such as using a clay solution to sink the algal bloom and prevent it from coming closer to shorelines.

Across Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 springs and rivers, water quality is also an issue, with runoff making it unsafe for people to swim and fish. High volumes of visitors also impact ecosystems by killing seagrass, whether it 麻豆精品 S檚 boat propellers or swimmers, impacting the nutrient balance of the environment and animals 麻豆精品 S� diets.

麻豆精品 S淲e will have to restore our waterways if we want to maintain this attractiveness that the state of Florida has, 麻豆精品 S� Alvarez says. 麻豆精品 S淲e can 麻豆精品 S檛 just have an extractive mentality. That is not the right way to manage these natural attractions. To ensure that we have these attractions for future generations and, really, to maximize their value over time, we need to care for them today. 麻豆精品 S�

To remain at the forefront of the hospitality and tourism industry, Rosen College is looking to increase its interdisciplinary expertise and teachings. Among the areas being explored is one Pizam has been driving for years.

麻豆精品 S淢y vision was always that we can be not only the largest, but also the best, 麻豆精品 S� Pizam says. 麻豆精品 S淢y vision is that hospitality is more than an industry. Hospitality is also a culture. If it is a culture, we can adopt it in other similar industries [like we have in the] event industry, theme park and attraction industry, and community living management. Now my vision is to apply it to the healthcare industry as well. 麻豆精品 S�

Pizam, who is 86, was hospitalized for an extended period after surviving a stroke. That 麻豆精品 S檚 when he realized healthcare facilities could greatly improve interactions with those in need of care. One-third of patients surveyed noted they had a negative experience with a healthcare provider, hospital or pharmacy, according to a 2021 report from Accenture.

麻豆精品 S淚f there is an industry that needs to adopt a hospitality culture, it 麻豆精品 S檚 healthcare, 麻豆精品 S� Pizam says.

Faculty from Rosen College already include examples from healthcare case studies in several courses. They also collaborate with the UCF College of Medicine to offer a Culinary Medicine elective that combines the science of food and nutrition with healthy cooking techniques. Students learn from physicians, dietitians and chefs to understand the role food plays in good health and management of disease.

麻豆精品 S淢y vision is that hospitality is more than an industry. Hospitality is also a culture. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S� Abraham Pizam, Rosen College founding dean and Linda Chapin Eminent Scholar Chair in Tourism Management

麻豆精品 S淥ur hope is that [Rosen College will conduct] research and education to improve what [the healthcare industry] calls the 麻豆精品 S榗ustomer experience 麻豆精品 S� and what we call 麻豆精品 S榩atient satisfaction, 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� says Pizam, who aims for Rosen College to also increase partnerships with UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Nursing and College of Health Professions and Sciences.

As Lake Nona 麻豆精品 S檚 Medical City 麻豆精品 S� where UCF’s College of Medicine and Academic Health Sciences Center are located 麻豆精品 S� continues to develop, it 麻豆精品 S檚 becoming a destination for high-quality healthcare services. Expanding Rosen College 麻豆精品 S檚 reach to this industry, and specifically Management in this location, may help Central Florida secure a reputation for a different type of tourism.

Last year, Michael Chiang 麻豆精品 S�20MS 麻豆精品 S�22MD became the first UCF medical school graduate who also earned a master 麻豆精品 S檚 in hospitality and tourism management. Through his clinical experiences, he was reminded of the importance of soft skills associated with hospitality 麻豆精品 S� which he also learned about growing up with a mother who worked in an assisted living home.

麻豆精品 S淚 think that gets to the heart of what hospitality is. It 麻豆精品 S檚 trying to give people who walked through the door the best possible experience, 麻豆精品 S� Chiang said in an episode of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Knights Do That podcast. 麻豆精品 S淪o, for me as a [future] emergency doctor, it is trying to recognize that people who come in are 麻豆精品 S� in an extremely vulnerable place and when you see them, they not only want you to 麻豆精品 S� address whatever detrimental life situations they might encounter, but also to [make them] feel at ease. 麻豆精品 S�

To this day, Pizam is still a believer in the great potential of Orlando and its tourism sector. He can envision even more possibilities for UCF to play a role in not just expanding the field, but spreading the culture of hospitality across other industries.

麻豆精品 S淭he secret to success, even in academia, is adapting to changes and having a vision for the future and making it happen now. That 麻豆精品 S檚 where we 麻豆精品 S檝e been very successful, 麻豆精品 S� Pizam says. 麻豆精品 S淲e have seen the future of the tourism industry and it is bright. And with the bright future of the industry, we will have a bright future for Rosen College. 麻豆精品 S�