A new program in hospitality has produced St. Louis Community College’s first event planning graduates.
The event-planning curriculum is part of Hospitality and Tourism Studies program offered at the Forest Park campus. Some students finished all 21 credit hours in three semesters, with eight receiving their certificates of specialization in December.
The students seek career opportunities in this vast and diverse field that includes administrative positions in event planning organizations, hotels, attractions, venues, country clubs, sporting arenas, casinos, experiential marketing, live events, mobile marketing, volunteerism and catering companies.
So far, five of eight December graduates have landed positions in the St. Louis area – working for a hotel, an upscale supplier of event décor, a florist, a not-for-profit planning a major event, and an internship with Soulard’s Mardi Gras Inc.
“They are in a position to use their newly acquired knowledge, either presently or in the near future. Meeting Professionals International has been forwarding other job leads for student consideration,” said Craig Mueller, associate professor.
This program, launched in August 2012, gives students an overview of the many sectors of the meeting and event planning industry. It also provides students with the foundational skills and knowledge to be able to work in an entry-level position. Mueller and Jeff Ivory, associate professor, created the program.
“The coursework is appropriately rigorous in order to be representative of the demands of industry,” Mueller said. “Meeting and event planning requires budgeting, organizational, time management, communication and promotional skills.”
Mueller and Ivory have had certified meeting professionals – with many years of experience in the field – teach the specific event-planning classes.
Mueller said 21 new students are enrolled in Event Planning I. They will schedule Event Planning II for either summer or fall semesters.
As part of revamping the hospitality studies curriculum, the department has proposed a future associate degree in hospitality and tourism that will eventually feature four focus components: event planning, food and beverage management, hotel management, and travel and tourism.
According to the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, St. Louis hosts 21.4 million visitors each year, who spend $4.33 billion in the local economy on leisure, conventions, meetings and business travel. In addition, 80,000 St. Louis area residents are employed in the tourism industry, with $2.51 billion in earned wages generating $801 million in local, state and federal taxes. St. Louis travel and tourism ranks among the top 10 industries in St. Louis City and St. Louis County.
For more information, contact Mueller at 314-644-9590 or email: cmueller@stlcc.edu, or Ivory at 314-644-9764 or email: jivory@stlcc.edu.
WUSTL to charter all-girls school
Washington University in St. Louis has announced that it will serve as the institutional sponsor for Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls (hawthornschool.org), the first single-sex STEM charter school in St. Louis.
Pending approval of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Hawthorn will open in August 2015 with a 6th and 7th grade class and will add a class each year. Ultimately the school will serve 500 girls in grades 6 through 12 by 2020. Enrollment will be open and tuition will be free.
The school has yet to identify a location.
Mary Danforth Stillman, daughter of Sen. John Danforth and niece of former Washington University Chancellor William H. Danforth, is the school’s founder and is leading efforts to open the school. Hawthorn is affiliated with the Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN), which supports five high-performing all-girls public schools in New York City and nine affiliate schools in Illinois, Texas, Maryland and New York.
The flagship YWLN school in East Harlem boasts a graduation rate over 96 percent for the past 13 years. Every graduating senior has been accepted to college with significant financial aid.
Hawthorn will offer an innovative, hands-on, college-preparatory curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Lessons will be reinforced through after-school and summer programming. Hawthorn will emphasize collaborative learning and connection to families and the broader community.
Girls will wear uniforms and meet daily with a faculty adviser. A full-time social worker will be on staff and a trained college counselor will work with the girls beginning in 10th grade. The school will also incorporate both a leadership and a health and wellness curriculum at all grade levels.
“The single-sex option is out there for people who can pay and now we are saying, ‘Let’s provide that option to students with limited financial resources,’” said Stillman “At Hawthorn, every leadership role will be filled by a girl. Every classroom discussion will be led by a girl.”
Washington University will help train teachers, develop curriculum and provide student tutors and mentors. Washington University also sponsors KIPP Inspire Academy, a high-performing middle school in the Fox Park neighborhood.
Women, especially minority women, are underrepresented in the STEM fields. Ralph S. Quatrano, PhD, dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science and a vocal advocate for women in engineering, says programs like Hawthorn can help close the gender gap.
“To address the most pressing problems facing our planet, we need a diverse community of quantitatively skilled problem solvers,” said Quatrano. “Women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are critical to this endeavor. By educating and empowering young women in our region, the Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls will help build a strong STEM pipeline.”
Accelerated online RN to BS program
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing began offering an accelerated registered nursing (RN) to bachelor of science (BS) program in January 2014. This 100 percent online program will replace the previous hybrid RN to BS program.
Students will be able to complete this accelerated program in as short as one year (three semesters) or at a slower progression over two years.
“The accelerated format and support system provided through a new online immersion on Blackboard helps students who are new to distance learning and technology-based education,” said Dr. Roberta Harrison, assistant dean for undergraduate programs.
Classes for this fully accredited option are structured in an eight-week course. It will require students to take a total of six core nursing courses once all general education course requirements are met. This program is designed for students who already have an associate degree or diploma from another nursing program. In order to accommodate the needs of working RNs and to allow for a maximum level of convenience, this program will be offered in a flexible online format.
Applications for the accelerated RN to BS program are being accepted now and can be found at siue.edu/nursing.
