Vol. 19, No. 37 |
Aug. 10, 2000 |
HRIM distance learning students visit campus
 From California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, five students enrolled in UD's Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management (HRIM) distance learning program, came to the Newark campus for a week of special seminars and projects and to meet HRIM faculty.
Geared to working adult students, the program, the first of its kind in the hospitality industry, allows students to complete a UD degree, earning up to 120 credits through a combination of Internet and videotape delivery of classes. The on-campus program is the capstone of their coursework. Coordinated by Ron Cole, Pat Woodward and James Lynch, all HRIM, the on-campus program also included tours of the Hotel du Pont, the Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, the Deep Blue Restaurant and the Catelli Bros. meat processing plant, giving students a first-hand view of different venues within the hospitality industry.
In another project, participants also developed and presented a training video on serving wine. This video will be pilot-tested with students during the fall semester in order to gauge the effectiveness of the instructional design, Cole said. At the end of the week, the students met with faculty to plan research projects they will complete back at home. Some students are at the beginning of their careers; some have been the field for several years and some have associate degrees. Although all are working full time in the hospitality field, the jobs they hold are quite different. But, they all agree that a four-year degree is essential to their future success. Caleb Tindall, currently banquet manager of the Merion Cricket Club in Haverford, Pa., is interested in a career in management in the hospitality field The club has 3,500 members, and he arranges everything from weddings to international croquet and cricket matches. Originally an engineering student at UD, he discovered from working in local restaurants while putting himself through school that he wanted a career in the hospitality field. Bill Kinslow, a chef in Flemington, N.J., has had 30 years in the hospitality field in hotels and restaurants. "I have been involved in three start ups, in staffing, planning and budgeting, as well as being a chef," he said. "I have lots of experience but am now interested in the teaching end and need a degree," he said. "I read about Delaware's program in a trade magazine. The program has a good reputation, was close enough and flexible enough to be workable so I signed on. It's a well thought-out program, including business and the arts, and I've learned a lot about management and training techniques." Dana Nichols from Santa Cruz, Calif., has just begun a new job in sales and marketing for Design Hotels on the West Coast and is now travelling around the world. After the session at UD, she headed to the Paris office where she also is working on her research project. What she especially likes about the UD program is the personal attention and support she has received from the UD faculty via telephone calls and e-mail. Susan Fixler is a casino scheduler in charge of dealers during the evening swing shift at the Taj Majal in Atlantic City. "When I applied for jobs, I realized the importance of a degree. I learned about the UD four-year distance learning degree program at Atlantic Community College and decided to enroll. The flexibility of the program was an important factor for me," she said. Phillip Shortino is at the beginning of his career and works at the front desk of a Marriott Hotel in Princeton, N.J. He has a degree from Mercer Community College and took courses at Widener University's hospitality program where, he said, they kept referring to the UD program, so he decided to enroll here. The program's flexibility also made it possible for him to take courses. "Overall, the week is an important part of the program for students," Cole said. "They usually study independently, and the intense week of learning and activities on campus gives them an opportunity to meet and work with classmates, to use problem-solving skills as a team, to interact with faculty and to bond with the University." Each student works with faculty members to complete an assigned research project and two executive position papers as the final components of their course requirements. "The response from the students in the program has been very positive, and they all said they enjoyed the experience and profited from being here," Cole said. — Sue Moncure |
For a product development test, students were presented with a market basket of different foods, from seafood to meat to exotic vegetables, fruits and dairy products, and had to come up with a menu and dinner using the given ingredients. As a team, they created signature menu items that included a soft shell crab appetizer, sea bass and scallops marinated in lime juice, herb-crusted pork roast with wild mushroom risotto and accompanying vegetables and a dessert combining fruits, phyllo layers and custard. They had to analyze the results and were graded on creativity, practicality and team work.