OCEAN CITY- Resort business leaders this week got an overview of the hospitality management program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) that could provide the next generation of skilled hotel, motel and restaurant managers for the resort’s blossoming tourism industry.
For decades, UMES has provided a hospitality management program and many of its graduates are now working on the front lines as managers in hotels, motels and restaurants in Ocean City and far beyond. The UMES program is one of just 65 fully accredited hospitality management programs out of the thousands of colleges and universities worldwide and it has produced hundreds of talented and highly skilled managers for businesses all over the country.
Currently, there are 229 students at UMES involved in the program and all are working toward the highly coveted Certified Hospitality Graduate (CHG) degree. Those who complete the program will become members of a rather small and select group to complete the program and have the prestigious CHG designation attached to their names as they embark on careers here on the Eastern Shore and far beyond.
Dr. Ernest Boger, chairman of the UMES Department of Hotel and Restaurant Management, provided an overview of the program for the Ocean City Economic Development Committee (EDC) on Wednesday. For years, the UMES program has worked closely with the EDC and the resort business community to provide skilled and talented front-line managers for the resort’s vast hospitality industry.
UMES Executive Vice President Kimberly Dumpson told EDC members on Wednesday the university’s hospitality management program has three major goals with its partnership with the local business community.
“Universities are strong partners for the business community and this particular program illustrates the importance of working together,” she said. “One of our goals is to develop relevant programs that meet your needs. We also have strong research and development tools on campus and our research arm is working closely with the business communities. Finally, our main goal is to produce highly skilled professionals that will leave our campus and go on to take leadership positions in the business community.”
The UMES Hospitality Management Program has been firmly established and has achieved remarkable accomplishments over the years, but the program has gotten a lot of positive national publicity in recent months. For example, earlier this fall, the UMES culinary arts team competed in a prestigious International Culinary Competition in Dallas and finished first among the talented competitors in the field. Notably, the second place team was from the prestigious culinary school Johnson and Wales.
In August, the UMES Hospitality Program was featured with a two-page spread in a U.S. Airways magazine edition featuring historically black colleges and universities. The program was also recognized recently for creating a concept now being implemented by the Dogfish Brewing Company for a rolling craft beer facility. In another example that shows it is not just about hotel and restaurant management, the UMES program is developing a concept to promote Princess Anne as a cultural tourist destination.
EDC Chairman Michael James praised the accomplishments of the UMES program and its contributions to Ocean City’s hospitality industry.
“The one thing we need more than anything is a good influx of well-trained staff in our hotels and restaurants,” he said. “This highly successful UMES program is providing that for us.”
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