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July 21, 2009
For Immediate Release
For an Interview:
Wes Bitters
(801) 863-6601
Wasatch Campus Hospitality Leaders of Tomorrow, an outgrowth of UVU’s successful Latino Educators of Tomorrow, is offering recent Latino high school graduates and current Latino high school students a hospitality-focused concurrent enrollment opportunity at UVU’s Wasatch campus in Park City beginning this week. The course offers students a chance to get a jump-start on college by earning six credit hours over five weeks of intense instruction.
"There is a huge open door in the Wasatch hospitality industry," said Susan Thackeray, director of UVU Career & Technical Education. "UVU has identified an economic need in the region and put together a program to fill that need and to stimulate that economy, while targeting under-represented populations."
The program was assembled by Wes Bitters, director of the UVU Wasatch Campus Summer Institute, and Yudi Lewis, director for the Latino Initiative, under the direction of the Woodbury School of Business Hospitality Program. The program is funded by a Perkins Grant, a federal education grant for students who are in trade and vocational areas earning their Associate of Science degrees.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for high school students [who are interested in a career in hospitality] to get an early start," Bitters said.
Following the success on the Orem campus, the University decided to expand the program into the Wasatch area. The program was offered to all high school students in four Wasatch area high schools - North Summit, South Summit, Park City and Wasatch High.
Over the next two weeks, students will travel to prestigious local resorts such as Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort, Zermatt Resort, Homestead Resort, Stein Eriksen Lodge and the Deer Valley Resort, to gain hospitality insights from various industry professionals. The visits will provide the students an awareness of different job and career opportunities available in the industry. At each site, the students will be able to ask questions and get direct feedback from managers pertaining to the career.
"The trades are alive and well here at UVU and they’re needed for the region," Thackeray said. "The industry up in that area has been totally on board and very supportive."
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University Marketing Contact:
Erin Spurgeon
(801) 863-6807
Written by:
Chelsey Richardson
(801) 863-8504