The School of Hotel Administration, the first collegiate program in hospitality management, is often dubbed Statler High for many reasons. First, the Hotel School runs on a block system, where freshmen and sophomore “hotelies” are pre-enrolled in classes.
Due to block scheduling, Hotelies spend “all day with the same kids,” according to Cailen Casey ’10, “which creates a tight-knit community.”
Additionally, Hotelies are able to get a locker and hold a senior prom.
The hotel school has unique course offerings, with classes ranging from Introduction to Wines to Culinary Theory and Practice, a stark contrast to the typical college course load.
Aside from their typical class schedule, many students in the Hotel School will volunteer this semester planning for the 83rd Annual Hotel Ezra Cornell, a weekend-long event during which students host leaders in the hospitality industry. The weekend will include a number of seminars and events where students apply the skills they have learned in the classroom to real world situations. This year’s HEC will occur from April 3-6.
“We [Hotelies] may get made fun of,” concedes Casey, “but I do believe we are getting a top notch education and we are all well-prepared to enter the workforce.”