Rosen College ranked No. 5 on the magazine’s list of the 50 best hospitality and hotel management schools for 2015. The ranking was based on a global survey of 18,000 hospitality recruiters and senior managers of luxury hotels around the world.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as one of the top hospitality programs worldwide,” said Dean Abraham Pizam. “Our focus on innovation and partnership produces exceptional graduates who will be the hospitality industry’s next generation of leaders. The exciting part is we’re just getting started.”

Founded in 2004, Rosen College is the youngest hospitality school in the top five, which includes programs at Cornell şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą, şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of Nevada at Las Vegas, Michigan State şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą and Ecole HĂ´telière de Lausanne in Switzerland.

With an enrollment of approximately 3,500 students, Rosen College offers six academic degrees, including the only bachelor’s degree in event management in the United States and the only doctoral program specifically in hospitality management in Florida.

Learn more about hospitality management education at Rosen College.

The Summit will feature prominent keynote speakers, including Rafat Ali, CEO/founder of Skift, Joel Manby, president & chief executive officer of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, and Christopher Thompson, president and CEO of Brand USA. In addition, there will be numerous panel discussions and breakout sessions covering critical topics in hospitality and tourism.

“We’re honored to host this conference again and showcase Rosen College to our international colleagues and friends,” said Abraham Pizam, dean of Rosen College. “This is an important opportunity to bridge research and practice, and engage in important conversations that will shape the future of our industry.”

Rosen College hosted the 2nd World Research Summit in 2013 in partnership with Elsevier, a leading global publisher of scientific journals.

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“We are very fortunate to have staff who are committed to our values of professionalism, leadership and service,” said Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. “Fazal, Elouinise and Nick are highly deserving of this recognition for their dedication to our mission of developing future generations of global hospitality and tourism leaders.”

Learn more about hospitality management education at Rosen College.

“Dr. Croes has been an incredible asset to Rosen College over the years and I’m confident that he will be very effective in the role of associate dean,” said Abraham Pizam, dean of Rosen College. “His background and expertise in economics and tourism management make him an excellent fit for this position in which he will work with faculty, staff and administration to ensure Rosen College continues to be a leader in hospitality management education.”

Croes arrived at UCF in 2002. He received his doctorate from the şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą of Twente, The Netherlands and his dissertation focused on quantitative modeling of tourism demand, tourism development and government intervention. Croes’ research has been published in the Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Economics, International Journal of Tourism Research, Tourism Management and International Journal of Hospitality Management, among others. He has also served on the editorial board of three journals and is the recipient of several scholarly awards.

Croes’ fields of expertise include econometrics applications in hospitality, tourism demand analysis/forecasting, tourism economic impact, competitive and sustainable tourism in tourism development analysis, tourism development applied to poverty alleviation and tourism development in small islands and developing countries. His forthcoming book, Poverty Alleviation through Tourism Development: A Comprehensive and Integrated Approach, co-authored with Manuel Rivera, is scheduled for publication this fall.

Visit Rosen College’s website to learn more about at UCF.

The event paired a member of each NFLPA Former Players Florida Chapter (Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa and South Florida) with an executive member from the Central Florida business community to compete in a one-of-a-kind bowling tournament. Funds raised equally benefited three local organizations, including Rosen College, the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida and Fifth Third Bank’s Summer of Dreams.

“We sincerely appreciate this donation from the Florida Players Bowl and greatly value their support,” said Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of UCF’s Rosen College. “Mr. Fakhoury and Mr. Ratliff are true community partners and we look forward to working together for many years to come.”

For more information about hospitality management education at Rosen College, please visit hospitality.ucf.edu.

“Every year, we recognize two individuals who go above and beyond in their roles at Rosen College,” said Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. “Dr. Gregory and Chef Coupland truly embody Rosen College’s values of professionalism, leadership and service, which makes them both very deserving of this special recognition.”

For more information about Rosen College, please visit .

“It would be impossible to accomplish all that we have without our incredible staff,” said Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. “Katherine and Kelly are two great examples of the hardworking, loyal, dedicated people who contribute to Rosen College’s success on a daily basis.”

For more information about Rosen College, please visit .

Senior restaurant and foodservice management major Ryan Burke received the Mentee of the Year Award and senior Jacqueline Gonzales, a hospitality management and event management double major, received the Mentor of the Year Award. Gabrielle Mourino, ’11 was honored with the Alumni Mentor of the Year Award.

“I am extremely proud of this year’s POMPers as they continue to make more and more contributions to the program,” said Vanessa Cogswell, POMP director and Rosen College academic services coordinator. “For example, Leigh Andrzejewski and Mauricio Claros created our first poster, Chaz Tommasini and Katrina Godlewski helped develop our first brochure, and even the families of several POMP participants donated to the 2014 Mentorship Ceremony. The success of the program is attributed to their hard work and the investments they have each made to make it better.”

The program, which helps at-risk, probationary and readmitted students improve their grades through peer mentorships, has earned high marks and garnered accolades for its success. It currently boasts a 96.72% overall success rate and a 98% overall retention rate.

Rosen College would like to thank its partners for their generous contributions to POMP:

• UCF Alumni Association
• UCF Career Services
• Adamson’s Orchids
• Area 51 Graphics, LLC
• Lydia Sedely, Chick-Fil-A
• Rosen College Bookstore
• Bradley Loomis
• Julien Meyer
• Jamie and Tammie Sykes
• Barbara Thompson
• Sheila Vargas
• Katie Worthington
• Jennifer Wright

For more information about POMP, visit hospitality.ucf.edu/pomp. Students who wish to enroll in the program as a mentee or mentor should contact Vanessa.Cogswell@ucf.edu.

“We are honored to recognize Henri Landwirth and Paul Mears, Jr. for their contributions to the hospitality industry, as well as their undeniable influence in our community,” said Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of Rosen College. “We hope our industry partners and friends will join us to celebrate this special occasion.”

Henri Landwirth is a hotelier, philanthropist and founder of , a 70-acre, nonprofit resort in Central Florida that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Landwirth’s roots in the Central Florida hospitality industry run deep, starting in 1954 when he managed the 100-room Starlight Motel in Cocoa Beach.

Paul Mears, Jr. is the chairman of and the son of company founder, Paul S. Mears, Sr. He has guided the company for almost 40 years and helped transform it from three taxicabs to a ground transportation industry leader. Mears Transportation is also an active community partner, providing free transportation to families staying at the Give Kids the World Village for the last 25 years.

Sponsorship and ticket information for The Pineapple Ball will be available online at hospitality.ucf.edu/the-pineapple-ball. Tickets will go on sale starting May 5. If you have any questions about the event, please contact Premila Whitney at 407.903.8020 or premila.whitney@ucf.edu.

*Please note that for the last three years, Rosen College partnered with the National Association for Catering and Events (NACE) to perform the induction into the Central Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame through the Grand Tour Gala. However, neither Rosen College nor the Central Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame are affiliated with this year’s Grand Tour Gala.

“We’re looking forward to showcasing Rosen College and showing this international audience why we’re the leading hospitality program in the nation,” said Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of Rosen College. “Many of the conference delegates are from outside the United States, so it’s also an opportunity to introduce them to UCF and tell the university’s story as it relates to the Orlando market and beyond.”

Although the conference has an academic focus, even seasoned industry professionals see the benefit of creating a bridge between research and practice through this kind of interactive forum.

“We in the industry tend to not step back and reflect often enough,” said Michael Shindler, Executive Vice President of Hotels & Casinos for Hard Rock International, who will participate in a panel discussion on lodging at the upcoming Summit. “The advantage of the interaction between industry participants and those studying it from an academic perspective is that the academics study in-depth what practitioners don’t have the time or opportunity to do. This interaction can be critical to both parties in informing how we all move forward as an industry.”

In addition to global hospitality and tourism scholars, representatives from major industry brands will be in attendance, including Gatorland, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Universal Parks & Resorts, Visit Florida, Walt Disney World and Wyndham Vacation Ownership, Inc.

For more information about the 2nd World Research Summit for Tourism and Hospitality, .