News for the Hospitality Executive |
MIAMI
(March 11, 2011) – At a ceremony held
yesterday, Florida International University (FIU), Carnival Corporation
&
plc and Carnival Cruise Lines marked the dedication of the new Carnival
Student
Center at FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management located at
the
university’s Biscayne Bay Campus.
With an advising center, reading room, computer workstations and fully-equipped conference rooms, a variety of groups and organizations, from students to industry executives scouting prospective interns and employees, can utilize the new multi-functional space. The Carnival Student Center was made possible by a gift to FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management from Miami-based Carnival Corporation & plc and its flagship brand Carnival Cruise Lines. The gift also includes an endowment for scholarships, the first of which were awarded to two deserving FIU Hospitality and Tourism Management students at today’s ceremony: Fabiana Ferrer, a sophomore, who is involved in leadership and volunteer activities at FIU, serving as a peer advisor, orientation leader, past VP of Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, and chair for the Panther Power Council; and SherAaron Hurt, a graduate student whose career objective is events management, and is currently an executive assistant in the School’s hospitality advising office, and a member of several professional organizations including the Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity and the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. The funding for the renovation of the Carnival Student Center and these scholarships qualified for a match by a grant from the state of Florida. “Today’s debut of the Carnival Student Center is exciting for all of us because this project exemplifies the way in which FIU School of Hospitality and Tourism Management aligns with community and industry partners to keep students Worlds Ahead, exceeding expectations and creating new possibilities,” said Mike Hampton, dean of Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. “With hospitality and tourism the backbone of South Florida’s economy and FIU providing excellent educational opportunities in this growing field, it is only appropriate that Carnival help fund the renovation of this new state-of-the-art student center,” said Howard Frank, Carnival Corporation’s vice chairman and chief operating officer. “Carnival is proud and honored to have its name associated with this stunning facility, which continues the incredible growth of both FIU and FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.” FIU’s acclaimed School of Hospitality and Tourism Management has one of the highest rated programs in the United States. The school’s alumni hold prominent positions throughout the hotel, travel and food service industries, including Carnival Cruise Lines and Carnival Corporation & plc. At least a half dozen FIU School of Hospitality and Tourism Management alumni hold high-ranking jobs within Carnival, including Carnival Corporation & plc’s Vice President and Chief Audit Executive Richard Brilliant MS ’93. Carnival has been a part of the South Florida community since its inception in 1972 and has since grown into a global cruise company with a portfolio of cruise brands sailing on worldwide itineraries. Carnival Corporation & plc operates a fleet of 98 ships, including 22 sailing under the Carnival Cruise Lines umbrella. For more information on FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management please visit www.hospitality.fiu.edu . Additional information on Carnival Corporation & plc and Carnival Cruise Lines is available at www.carnivalcorp.com and www.carnival.com, respectively. About Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management: Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is one of the highest rated hospitality and tourism programs in the United States. Each year, over 1,400 undergraduate and graduate students from across the United States and around the world choose FIU for its outstanding reputation, advantageous campus locations, expert faculty, rich curriculum, and fast-track career advantages in the international hotel, foodservice and tourism industries. In August 2006 FIU unveiled the first US School of Hospitality and Tourism in Tianjin, China. The Marriott Tianjin China Program is FIU’s largest international program, with a capacity for up to 2,000 students. For more information about Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, visit http://hospitality.fiu.edu/. About FIU: Florida International University is one of the 25 largest universities in the nation, with more than 42,000 students. Nearly 130,000 FIU alumni live and work in South Florida. Its colleges and schools offer more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations and law. As one of South Florida’s anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. The opening of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in August 2009 has enhanced the university’s ability to create lasting positive change in our community. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/. |
Contact: Rebecca Rakitin or Claibourne Smith 954-765-3636 M. Silver Associates Vance Gulliksen 305-406-5464 Carnival |