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Hospitality Happenings, Findings & Facts |
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Welcome to the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management
We warmly welcome new and returning students and know that this is going to be a fantastic fall semester! With so much on the horizon, I anticipate that many exciting stories will unfold between now and finals week. Best of luck with studies and GO KNIGHTS!
Regards,
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| Three Pillars Cafe Has A New Flavor
 Fast. Fresh. Friendly. Fun. That's what the all-new, student-run Three Pillars Cafe promises its customers. With a successful grand opening on August 24, it appears the Cafe is right on track.
Three Pillars now offers student interns a close and convenient work option while
providing customers with healthy food, coffee, smoothies, grab 'n go items, international
fare, vegetarian options and much more.
 Dr. Michael "Doc" Terry has been the driving force behind the renovation. He's worked diligently to review student survey data, hire a winning team, develop a new menu and look, and promote the exciting changes. He's put in countless hours and now passes the responsibility to the students. "We're really empowering the new hires because they'll either make it or break it," states Doc.
Melisa Bueno, an Event Management senior and Cafe intern looks forward to working on campus. "It's convenient and close to the students. I already know lots of people but look forward to learning even more new names."
Cafe interns and Hospitality Management juniors Zachary Shelton and Kylie Briody are optimistic about the changes. Zachary hopes "the students have a fun experience" and Kylie looks forward to creating "a better environment where students can come in between classes and relax."
 What do the customers have to say about the experience? Kevin Wolfe, a junior Restaurant and Foodservice Management major states, "I love it! You can come in, get what you want and just go! It's definitely an improvement over the last three semesters." Lindsay Robertson, an Event Management senior visited the Cafe because she heard there were wraps. "The wrap was really good! I'd definitely recommend the Cafe."
The professors are also pleased with the improvements. Dr. Deborah Breiter simply said, "The soup is yummy" and Dr. Chris Muller described it as "the best restaurant on campus." We always appreciate a good sense of humor.
OPERATING HOURS
Coffee Shop Food Court
Mon. - Thurs. 8:30 - 6:00 Mon. - Thurs. 11:30 - 2:30
Fri. 8:30 - 1:00
Photos: Top Left, Zachary Shelton and Kylie Briody; Middle Right, "Doc" Terry; Lower Left, Students enjoy the Three Pillars Cafe.
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Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Scholarships
"First Watch is a terrific partner for Rosen College as we're both experiencing aggressive growth," said Jennifer Rickmann, Rosen College's development officer. "This is their 80th store opening, and Rosen College is the nation's largest hospitality program in terms of student credit hours."
Coinciding with the beginning of the fall semester, First Watch presented the check and celebrated the grand opening of its newest Central Florida restaurant on Aug. 24 near UCF's main campus.
"This entire grand-opening program resulted in a record-setting opening in terms of sales for First Watch in our 26-year history," said Chris Tomasso, UCF alumnus and chief marketing officer with First Watch.
Photo: Dr. Joe Hutchinson, Rosen College Foodservice and Lodging Management
Chair and UCF alumnus Chris Tomasso, Chief Marketing
Officer, First Watch Restaurants, Inc.
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Student Promotes Diversity, Film Festival
Name: Ryan
Mobley
Major: Hospitality
Management Senior
Background: Age 24, from Boynton Beach, FL
 Ryan Mobley appreciates diversity - his house features
multicultural décor, he attempts cooking Mandarin cuisine, relaxes to Brazilian
music, and participates as historian for UCF's Hispanic American Student
Association (HASA).
Ryan has volunteered with the Hispanic Business Expo and the Caribbean
Business Expo. Ryan explains, "Although
I'm African-American, I grew up in South Florida, a very multicultural
environment. I view my friends from
different backgrounds as family and was raised to appreciate
diversity."
Ryan's current volunteer efforts focus on the acclaimed
Orlando Hispanic Film Festival, happening Sept. 16-20. He was charged with the task of promoting Chocolate Country, a documentary about chocolate exports from the Dominican Republic and the workers behind the
confection. "I learned so much about
marketing from Dr. Naipaul's class," explains Ryan.
What has he done to spread the word? He's started a blog, updates his Twitter and
Facebook accounts and is all about networking.
Ryan feels that hospitality students would benefit from seeing this film. "Our demand for organic food is
increasing. The chocolate exported from
the Dominican Republic is organic because the farmers couldn't afford pesticides.Chocolate Country is great for industry awareness and is very encouraging. Students should know about this," said Ryan.
Ryan also recommends The Edge of the Sea as another great festival film for hospitality students. It chronicles the effects of hotel and
vacation ownership properties built on the coast of Puerto Rico and their
impact on the environment and local economy.
Ryan hopes to work in international lodging upon graduation, so this
topic is near and dear to his heart. "I
understand that new hotels are going to be built, but there has to be a
compromise," explained Ryan. "I view things differently now and know that
others will benefit from the film too."
Students can enjoy special festival prices and all films offer English subtitles or voice-overs. For more
information on volunteering or attending the Orlando Hispanic Film Festival,
please visit www.ohfilmfestival.com or look for Orlando Hispanic Film
Festival on Facebook.
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Studying Abroad? Consider This!
Kristina Pena, Student Contributor  Ciao Rosen students! Are you feeling that study abroad itch? If so, scratch it! After
25 days of walking the streets of Italy and France, absorbing the culture and
savoring authentic cuisine, I can testify it is worth it. Just imagine living
right down the street from one of Michelangelo's most celebrated masterpieces,
the statue of David, and tasting wines on top of a hill overlooking a vineyard
in Tuscany. Imagine cooking spinach and ricotta ravioli in class, and just a
train ride later standing in front of the leaning tower of Pisa. Or how about eating a freshly made crepe beside
the Notre Dame with the Eiffel tower at walking distance? If you're ready to
turn imagination into reality, here are some tips for having a great study
abroad experience:
Open your mind: Europe is a whole different world, so you have to
be willing to try new things in order to have the complete experience,
especially when it comes to cuisine. Don't be afraid to try unfamiliar local
delicacies such as tripe (insides), liver pâté or frog legs.
Unleash your
adventurous side: On your free days don't be afraid to jump on a local
train and explore a nearby city. You might end up climbing Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii
or riding a gondola in Venice. Remember to do your research.
Slow down: Take time
to enjoy your surroundings while sipping on a cappuccino in one of many Florentine
Piazzas, or munching on a baguette in a Parisian park. You will see the world through
new eyes.
Don't let anything hold you back from an enriching learning experience
that will be with you forever. Take out a loan if you have to, and tell your
family and friends you'll send them a postcard! |
Paper Awarded at International Symposium
Kelly Semrad, Ph.D. Candidate, Hospitality Education
Dr. Robertico Croes and Kelly Semrad received the "Forecasting the
Service Sector and Industry Application Award" for their paper presented at the 29th Annual International Symposium on Forecasting. The symposium was held June 19 - 24 in Hong Kong, and was attended by approximately 350 forecasting researchers
from around the world.
 The awarded paper entitled "Why Discounting Works (and
When)" authored by Robertico R. Croes & Kelly J. Semrad, also resulted in Kelly receiving the 2009 International
Institute of Forecasters (IIF) Travel Grant Award to assist with travels and
accommodations to Hong Kong.
Criteria for manuscript acceptance to
the symposium was based on the quality of the submission, and award-recognized
papers will be considered for
publication in the International Journal
of Forecasting.
The award-recognized paper of Croes
and Semrad is a continuation of a research stream that was generated from the
results of a forthcoming chapter publication in a hospitality management text
book for Nova Publishers, entitled,
"Explaining the Pricing Decision-Making Process in the Hotel
Industry," authored by Robertico R. Croes, Elizabeth Yost, & Kelly J.
Semrad. The chapter was the outcome
result of a paper developed by Kelly and Elizabeth under the guidance and mentorship
of Dr. Croes, in his 2008 Spring term class HFT 7715 Strategies and Tactics:
Travel and Tourism.
Additional prior manuscripts and conference
presentations that have stemmed from the original research piece that examined
the effects of discounting room rates in the hotel industry include: Tracking Rational Expectations in the Hotel
Industry (2009 Behavioral Pricing Conference, Rosen College of Hospitality
Management; Croes & Semrad);
Discounting Works: A Structural Approach to Understanding Why (Dick Pope
Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies, White Paper Series, 09-01; Croes &
Semrad); The Effects of Non-Stationary Time Series Data Sets (14th Annual
Graduate Student Research Conference in Tourism & Hospitality Research, Las
Vegas, NV; Croes, Yost, & Semrad); Discounting as a Function of Hotel
Financial Performance (2008 ISTTE Conference, Dublin, Ireland; Croes, Yost,
& Semrad).
Photo: (Left) Dr. Croes; (Right) Kelly Semrad
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Alumna Graduates With Honors
Summer
graduate and Hospitality Management major Luisa Alvarez, understands the importance of persevering to the end.
While many students came down with a case of "senior-itis" Luisa
focused diligently on research. She recently completed her Honor in the
Major thesis research on the topic of Hispanic Consumers' Perceptions of Green
Hotels with the support of committee members, Dr. Po-Ju Chen, Dr. Fevzi Okumus and Dr.Wilfried Iskat.
Luisa
was recognized at the Honor in the Major banquet held August 4 on UCF's main campus. Luisa was acknowledged as recipient of the "Undergraduate Research Showcase Excellent Presenter" award and for
earning the "Honor in the Major Scholarship" and graduating Cum Laude.
Dr. Chen stated, "Luisa
is an outstanding student who conducted an excellent quality thesis
research project. I am very proud of her. " Dr. Okumus described that the quality of
Luisa's honors thesis is "close to a master's thesis." He further stated, "I am most impressed with
her dedication, professionalism, hard work and positive attitude. I hope my daughters will be just like her one
day!"
After
graduation, Luisa moved to Texas. She plans to work in the hospitality industry and explained, "I am getting
married after graduation and my fiance, a UCF alumnus, is an optical engineer
for Alcon Labs in Texas." She plans to pursue an MBA in the Fall of 2010. We wish her a world of success. Photo: (L to R) Luisa's mother, Ester I. Alvarez, Dr. Okumus, Luisa Alvarez, Dr. Chen, Dr. Iskat. |
Rosen College Joins Slow Food Orlando's Push for Local, Wholesome Meals
By Christine Dellert
 Hospitality
students in a food production class learned what it takes to prepare locally grown, wholesome meals --
from the farm to the fork.
For the first time, Rosen College partnered with founders from the Slow Food Orlando movement to
challenge students to scour Central Florida farms in search of good,
clean food for which producers are compensated fairly.
About 50 students interviewed Florida farmers and artisan food producers and used their ingredients
to prepare three-course menus in a culinary showcase and competition in early August at the college.
The project "supported local farmers and benefited students by
introducing them to what our region can produce and to the
environmental benefits of buying locally grown foods," said Gerald
Kock, the class' instructor and director of research for Slow Food
Orlando.
Kock, a doctoral student at Rosen and an alumnus of the Culinary
Institute of America, came up with the idea for the project with Jaime
Niemann, a co-founder of Slow Food Orlando and marketing director of
Harmoni Market, a Mediterranean-style market and bistro promoting
healthy, local foods.
More consumers are demanding wholesome, responsible food, said Steve
Moreau, a board member of Slow Food Orlando, local food advocate and
farmer. "This is the future," he recently told the class. "You're going
to see a growing trend in the industry toward local, healthy,
sustainable food...It's not going to change overnight, but the consumer
demand is there."
 The culinary showcase and tastings were held Tuesday, Aug. 4,
though Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Rosen College. Students presented
their locally inspired Mediterranean style dishes to a panel of judges
from Harmoni Market and Slow Food Orlando, among others.
"The reason we decided to partner with the Rosen College is to educate
a large group of passionate, motivated and educated food service
individuals who are ready to take on the challenge of sourcing local
ingredients to produce a delicious, wholesome and nutritional menu," said Jaime.
View the UCF TV story on 
Winners:
Best overall and best appetizer: Alyse Cohen, Yasmin Dangridge, Samantha Duran, Melissa Glen, and Christopher Prietsh - Spinach & Strawberry Salad, entrée Swordfish with Roasted Vegetables and Potatoes, and dessert Orange Honey Mousse with Homemade Almond Biscotti & Candied Orange.
Best main course: Natalie Kasper, Ashley Lawrence, Tyler Roman, Brian Weisnicht, and Joseph Weksman - Pistachio Crusted Grouper with Horiatki Salada.
Best dessert: Kevin Wolfe, Diana Elbanna, Ashley Norris, and Megan Armbuster - Florida Baklava Tart.
Photos: (Top Left) Instructor Gerald Kock, student Kimberley Markowsky, farmer Tia Meer.
(Lower Right) Judges from Harmoni Market.
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FRLA Student Chapter Launched
 This summer marked the formation of the new Student Chapter of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association. The Chapter will be participating in the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show from Sept. 11-13 at the Orange County Convention Center. For more information or to become a member, please contact Ty Catris at tcatris@mail.ucf.edu. Back Row L to R: Dominick D'Agsostino (Treasurer),
Jesse Warren (Director of Membership and Public Relations), Ty Catris
(President), Dr. Mary Jo Ross (Advisor)
Front Row L to R: Ashley Bistoff (Secretary),
Brittany Manzie (Vice-President), Angela Ramirez (Vice-President), *Not pictured, Dr. H.G. Parsa
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Professors Write
the Book on Leadership
Dr. Fisher and Dr. Muller know what it takes to be a great leader and now you can know their secrets! They have presented 365 "axioms" that leaders rely on to govern their behavior and
decisions in service to their constituencies, one for every day of the
year. Your familiarization with, and utilization of them can accelerate
your ascent to leadership positions.
For more, click here.
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Students -- in an effort to provide exceptional services, we ask that you update your contact information today by visiting:https://my.ucf.edu.
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Student Sound Off
1. What will you MISS the most about summer?
Zachary Shelton: The time I got to spend with my friends.
Dan Kraus: Working a morning shift at Universal and then
heading straight to Rosen for my 4-hr managerial accounting class with Jung.
Red Bull saved my life.
2. Why are you EXCITED to start fall classes?
Zachary Shelton: I am excited to start fall classes because
starting Rosen is a whole new experience for me.
Dan Kraus: Ready to start learning about theme parks, the
reason I'm at Rosen in the first place!
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YMCA Chef Camp
About 65 campers, ages 9 to 12, visited Rosen College on Thursdays in July and August. This was part of the Dr. Phillips YMCA Chef camp led by Chef Dave Minnick. Wearing chef hats and
aprons, campers prepared recipes for pizza, ice cream and cookies, selected by Rosen College senior
lab technician Renee Bence.
Although not a culinary institution, Rosen College enjoys teaching
future hospitality leaders. "We want to introduce our college to a
younger local generation, so they'll remember us when considering
higher education," explained Alyson Hayes, Rosen College culinary assistant.
View the UCF TV story on
Listen to the WUCF radio interview click here.
Photo: Joey Liquori, 9 and Griffin Sinclair, 9.
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It Pays to Be a Student
Did you know that as a Rosen College student, you are extended special offers from local businesses?
Check the Rosen College discount pagefrequently for the latest deals and discounts!
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Ciao, Firenze!
Bonjour, Paris!
The International Gastronomy and Culture and Cuisine Study
Abroad classes led by Professor Kevin Murphy recently took a trip to Florence,
Italy and several other cities in Europe.
All involved had a memorable trip while developing cooking skills, knowledge
of traditional Tuscan cuisine and appreciation for new cultures.
Trip highlights included:
· A walking tour of Rome led by
an authentic
Italian guide.
· Hearing the Pope speak in the
Vatican City.
· Visiting APICIUS, the
International Hospitality
School in Florence.
· Learning to cook from Italian
chefs with APICIUS.
· Touring the historical and
cultural sites of
Florence.
· Student excursions to further
explore Europe on
the
weekends.
· A trip to Paris to experience
museums and French
cuisine.
"It is safe to say that this study abroad trip was a huge success
and that much was accomplished," said Dr. Murphy.
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Student to Represent the U.S. in Germany
 Renea Anderson does not let much intimidate her. She once competed in a triathlon next to
Norman Stadler, winner of Ironman Hawaii.
This winning mindset facilitated her victory at the recent IMEX/MPI
Future Leader's "University Challenge" in conjunction with the 2009 MPI World Education Congress in Salt Lake City.
Renea was encouraged by Dr. Po-Ju Chen to apply for the Future Leaders
Forum Scholarship which provided registration, airfare and accommodations. Renea competed against students from across
the nation and Canada by presenting a bid to design the next generation in
exhibit space. She explains, "The idea was to look for creative ways to serve the
attendees with networking capabilities that do not involve the traditional
exhibit space."
Renea so impressed the panel of judges that she will represent the U.S. in an international competition held in Frankfurt,
Germany in May 2010. She will present a
design for a gala dinner that will "inspire and impress global, industry
leaders who have effectively seen and done it all."
An impressive side-note - Renea was so ill during her Salt Lake City presentation
that she went to the emergency room immediately after! "Don't ever let an opportunity pass you by. I was so sick in Salt Lake
and I could have quit. You never know what might happen if you try," said Rene.
A junior, Renea serves on the executive board of UCF's MPI student
chapter and is also a student member of NACE, PCMA and ISES. "To win on an international
platform would bring significant global recognition to our school," said Renea.
We wish her the
best at next year's competition.
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Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies
Fall Research Colloquia:
September 25
October 30
November 27
Hospitality Pricing Conference:
November 13 & 14
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The mission of the Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies is to improve the quality of the tourism product and increase the benefits of the tourism industry to the State of Florida and the
local Central Florida community.
Our three major objectives are:
· Research
· Public Awareness
· Education
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Tweets & Updates
Be sure to know the scoop at Rosen College on Twitter and Facebook!
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Rosen College and the Office of Student Involvement offer numerous Registered Student Organizations tailored to your interest!
Network and meet new friends with similar interests!
For more info, click image above.
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Kudos!
Dr. Deborah Breiter, Professor and Chair, Department of Tourism, Events, and Attractions has been invited to be:
-Guest speaker for the Professional Convention Management Association's (PCMA) Society of Government Meeting Professioals
(SGMP) in Columbia, MO Sept. 10.
-Emcee for the meeting of the Client Advisory Board, Sept. 11 at the Orange County Convention Center and Sat. Sept. 12 at the brand-new I-Drive Hilton for their grand
opening. The Board is made up of 44
members who are responsible for some of the largest meetings and trade shows in
the country. | |
