Starred review: UW-Stout executive hospitality programs recognized with No. 9 world ranking

At UW-Stout, students in the executive hospitality management programs learn quickly that their education goes well beyond their classrooms.

They routinely can be found in a lab at a campus-based restaurant, on a field experience at a leading hotel or golf course or on an internship with an industry leader and potential employer. Students graduate with a full understanding of a polytechnic education — applied learning, business and industry collaboration, and positive career outcomes.

UW-Stout has been educating leaders in the hospitality industry for more than 55 years. Its expertise in the field is why it has been named No. 9 in CEOWorld magazine’s rankings of the best hospitality and hotel management schools in the world for 2024.

The university has consistently been among the leaders in the rankings over the past seven years. The top 10 schools this year were from the U.S. The second 10 included universities from Canada, India, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. 

CEOWorld is a business and technology magazine for high-level executives, according to its website.

Executive Hospitality Management at UW-Stout is part of the School of Management. Programs include hotel, restaurant and tourism management, which also is offered online; golf enterprise management; and real estate property management.

Students in other management programs, for example business administration, can specialize in golf management or earn a minor in property management.

“UW-Stout has built its reputation on a unique educational model that combines real-world experience, strong industry connections and innovative, hands-on learning. Partnerships with industry leaders, such as Forbes Travel Guide, Destination Kohler and other top resorts and hotels create unmatched opportunities for students,” said Professor Kristal Gerdes, chair of the hospitality and technology innovation department.

“These collaborations provide students with direct insights into industry standards and trends and give them a head start on building professional networks. This recent ranking reflects the faculty’s commitment to providing a cutting-edge education that responds to industry needs and prepares students for long-term success,” she said.

In UW-Stout’s 2024 First Destination report by Career Services, 100% of recent hospitality graduates were employed within six months. The rate reflects the programs’ quality and high demand for UW-Stout graduates across the industry, Gerdes added, underscoring how well-prepared UW-Stout students are for the workforce and speaking to the effectiveness of the applied learning approach.

Examples of UW-Stout’s industry-focused and innovative approaches to hospitality management education include:

• A Service Excellence course in collaboration with Forbes Travel Guide, which is known for its independent annual ratings of luxury hotels, restaurants and spas in more than 74 countries. 

“UW-Stout is the first university in the world with this FTG collaboration,” Professor Eric Brey said. “Our relationship with FTG provides a unique opportunity to integrate a service excellence mindset throughout our program and curriculum.”

• A course in Food Service Production and Operations that uses lab periods to help operate a public restaurant, Fireside Café in the Memorial Student Center. Students plan, prepare and serve food while gaining management skills.
• An annual field trip experience to see operations and speak with leaders in the industry. This fall the event was a two-day trip to Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Wisconsin Dells, including meeting with John Chastan, general manager, a UW-Stout hospitality alum; and a tour of Trappers Turn golf course. 

At Kalahari, the 55 students from three classes also attended the Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association convention.

Students’ industry connections include a required internship or cooperative education experience. They can earn credit and a salary while working at industry leaders like Destination Kohler, Omni Hotels or Weidner Apartment Homes; and several of Wisconsin’s world-class golf courses, such as Erin Hills, Sand Valley and Whistling Straits, along with other leading courses around the country.

Students can make additional industry connections through campus chapters of professional organizations, such as the Club Managers Association of America; and the Institute of Real Estate Management.

UW-Stout alum have worked at top hotels, golf courses and property management companies across the world. Recently, 1991 HRTM graduate Brian Hicks, who began his career at Ritz Carlton hotels in Atlanta, was named CEO of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.