Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/443780
Among several ways students enter the hospitality and tourism industry is through event planning, something almostallsegmentsofsocietyhaveexperiencedandunder- stand. Whether holiday parties, family reunions or assisting friends with engagement parties or destination weddings, planning events has become a way to personalize leisure experiences, and often include selecting appropriate venues, catering and making travel arrangements. EVENT PLANNING T he number and relative percentage of African- American students enrolled as Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation majors varies from campus to campus within the CSU system, but as noted aboveisnecessarilyasmallcomponentofthecampuspop- ulation. Studentsoftenlearnaboutthemajorthroughrefer- ral from other faculty members or student development personnel. For example,students who are enrolled in the School of Business, but who wish to work in hospitality, tourism or recreational sports are referred to the depart- ment to explore curriculum and career options. Similarly, students who have enjoyed working on Greek life events, putting together campus concerts or have volunteered to organizeaneventforanon-profitcommunityorganization may wish to pursue a degree program that enhances their skillsandemployability. MostHospitality,Recreationand Tourism programs are known for incorporating hands-on experiencesthroughoutrequiredcourses,andmostrequire aninternshipattheendoftheprogramsostudentsreceive feedback from a mature professional who can identify strengthsaswellasareasforimprovement. Event planners will often work with airlines, parks, hotels, meeting space rentals and restaurants throughout theircareers. Thesebasicconnectionscanleadtoexpanded careerslaterinlife,asdesiredandwhencomplementedby additionaltrainingoreducation. Careerpathoptionsgen- eratedthroughabasicfoundationineventssetthestagefor identifying, resourcing, then delivering what people really wantfromdining,travelandtourismexperiences–anditis muchmorethanacomfypillow,apackageofpretzelsanda problem-freeairlinecheck-in. Today'sindustryprofession- als must understand the consumer's desire for unique leisure, recreation and business travel experiences,whether inthebackyardorat remote tropical islandgetaway. In addition,many organizations that used to employ in- houseeventplanners no longer do so. Smalleventplanning businesses are excit- ing possibilities for many students, and especially for young women who may wish to combine careerandfamilyinahome-based,tech-friendlysmallbusi- ness. As a core foundational area of learning and experi- ence most curricula begin their programs with an event planning course and add other professional competencies such as leadership, marketing, entrepreneurialism and eval- uation with specific application to hospitality, tourism and recreation industry settings. Most importantly, the ultimate goaloftheseacademicprogramsistopreparestudentsfor entry-level, full-time positions, wherever possible; or, to be certain graduates qualify for management training pro- grams. Within a few years of graduating students will be ready for management-level responsibilities, or can move into graduate programs. The following section provides rec- ommendations for opening the doors to careers in tourism, hospitality and recreation careers for African-American students in California. RECOMMENDATIONS I nsummary,thereareclearlylotsofcareeropportu- nities forAfrican-American students in the hospi- talityandtourismindustries. WhileCSUsareiden- tifying a decline in enrollment amongAfrican-American students, hospitality and tourism programs are growing andcanaccommodatestudentsfromawiderangeofback- grounds,consistent with the mission to educate and pre- pare individuals for the California workforce. The CSU system has identified several outreach strategies to increase African-American enrollment, but based on recentresults,moreindustryandmajor-specificapproach- esmaybeneeded. Althoughevidencedemonstratesthat "African-Americansstandtogainthemostsignificantlift out of poverty from earning a college degree" (Perez 2012), not all students can identify the career path they wish to pursue. California has committed to creating a career ladder for those who want it by offering academic programs at a variety of levels and delivery methods so thatonecanchoosetheirownpatternofworkandeduca- tion. Thebestpreparationforindustryprofessionalsmayno longer be limited to schools of business management,or traditional hotel management programs. As more and more people travel the globe, the diverse experi- ences demanded are often centered around leisure needs, luxury, adventure and uniqueexperiences that are founda- tional to combined hospitality, tourism andrecreationpro- grams; covering both the business B M & T ••• September/October 2014••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 32