Best Hospitality colleges in Orlando

If you’re planning a career in the hospitality industry, it makes sense to choose a college near a vacation mecca. With 62 million visitors in 2014, Orlando certainly fits the bill. Located in the heart of this city’s tourist district, UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management boasts neighbors such as Walt Disney World Resort, Sea World Adventure Park, top hotels on International Drive, and the Orange County Convention Center. (UCF’s main campus is about 30 miles away.) As might be expected, opportunities for internships, networking, and future employment abound (not to mention quite a few behind-the-scenes tours). In addition to the university’s ties within the industry, hospitality students aid their own cause by hosting a career fair each semester. Putting their classroom knowledge to good use, they handle every aspect of the event – marketing, décor, theme, and even the lunch menu! The 159,000-square-foot, Mediterranean resort-style campus itself is a site to behold. The largest facility ever built for hospitality management education, highlights include a 200-seat training dining room and bar, a beer and wine laboratory, two test kitchens, and a 400-seat auditorium. Faculty members represent more than 17 different countries, and many of them have held executive roles in restaurants, hotels, and theme parks. This diversity provides a valuable global perspective. And for students who themselves aspire to be industry scholars and researchers, UCF offers a top-notch doctoral program in hospitality management.