Brookdale to Offer New Hospitality Management Degree

LINCROFT, NJ (July 13, 2017) – Residents interested in careers in event planning, travel, tourism, gaming, hotel and restaurant management, theme parks and other hospitality fields are invited to a free information session for Brookdale Community College’s new hospitality management degree program, held at 5:30 p.m. on July 26 in Lincroft.

The associate of science degree program, offered for the first time this fall, will prepare students to become managers and supervisors in some of the region’s largest industries. Curriculum includes courses in menu planning, hotel and operations management, travel and tourism, business law, economics, catering, event planning and public speaking.

Students will also participate in a for-credit internship in the hospitality industry and complete elective courses in subjects such as marketing and social media. The program is designed to transfer to bachelor’s degree programs at colleges and universities across the U.S.

“From golf clubs, hotels and resorts to cruise lines and professional sports teams, hospitality employers are looking for qualified managers,” said program chair Michelle Zuppe. “Whether you want to advance in your career or start a new one, this degree program will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to get ahead.”

The July 26 information session is free and open to all. It will be held at 5:30 p.m. in Larrison Hall, Room 210, on the college’s Lincroft campus, 765 Newman Springs Road. Parking is in lots 2 and 3. To RVSP or for more information about the degree program visit www.brookdalecc.edu/hospitality or call 732-224-2258.

According to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, nearly 25 percent of all private sector workers – or 814,979 people – were employed in the state’s leisure, hospitality and retail industries in 2015.

According to the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, the state’s travel and tourism industries supported more than 318,000 jobs and sustained more than 512,000 jobs in the state in 2015, accounting for nearly 10 percent of all employment.

The leisure and hospitality sector employs nearly 10 percent of all private sector workers in Monmouth County, and is expected to grow by 5 percent over the next four years, according to a market assessment conducted by Brookdale officials.