News

Portland State University and Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) announced today the launch of a joint Hospitality and Tourism program to prepare students for management careers in the growing industry. At an open house held in a newly-constructed classroom and training space in PSU’s University Place conference center, officials from both institutions discussed the program’s benefits for students and the regional economy.

“The partnership between Portland State University and Mt. Hood Community College is an exciting step to increase both student access to necessary higher education and to strengthen the Portland area economy,” said Terrel Rhodes, vice provost for curriculum and dean for undergraduate studies at PSU. “This program exemplifies the long history of collaboration between PSU and its community college partners throughout the Portland metropolitan region to provide meaningful educational opportunities for our students, real world engagement in the community and economic development for the region.”

Students in the new program will attend MHCC and earn an associate degree in hospitality and tourism, with instruction and training in hotel, travel, recreation, tourism, culinary arts, food service, convention and meeting planning and related service industries. Students will then transfer to PSU to complete a baccalaureate in business administration.

PSU’s University Place recently completed the build-out of a training space and classroom to incorporate the program’s culinary arts classes into the daily running of its conference center. In addition to attending classes, students will get hands-on experience working at the University Place educational conference center.

“For over 13 years now, Oregon has lacked an opportunity for students to truly learn hospitality and tourism hands-on, and to pursue higher education studies to further their future careers,” said Court Carrier, program advisor for the Hospitality and Tourism program at MHCC. “That problem is starting to be corrected today. With the new vision of leaders from PSU and Mt. Hood Community College, an outstanding opportunity for learning has been created.”

Tourism is Oregon’s second largest industry, with total travel spending in 2004 in the Portland Metro area reaching $2.9 billion, generating 27,600 jobs locally. In the next ten years, restaurant industry jobs nationally are projected to increase by approximately 1.8 million, 45,000 of which will be management positions. The Hospitality and Tourism program provides management instruction in a variety of services, including hotels and resorts, travel and tourism, restaurants, conventions and meetings management.

Carol Lentz, executive vice president of the Portland Oregon Visitors Association (POVA), commented, “Over the next few years, the POVA Education and Training Foundation, along with other industry partners, is looking forward to working with PSU and our other community college partners to build this program. We are committed to not only keeping our best and brightest students here in Oregon, but encouraging students from other states to come and learn at one of the best tourism and hospitality degree programs in the country.”

Portland State University, Oregon's only urban university, is the largest and most diverse in the state system. The University's position in Oregon's economic and cultural center allows for deep community engagement and the creation of partnerships with hundreds of organizations throughout the region — partnerships that give PSU students valuable learning opportunities as they solve real-world problems of business and community. Portland State offers more than 100 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as graduate certificates and continuing education programs. PSU serves more students and confers more master's degrees annually than any other Oregon university.

Mt. Hood Community College serves nearly 25,000 students each year. Classes are offered on the 200-acre main campus in Gresham, as wells as satellite campuses throughout the district. Whether students are interested in pursuing a professional-technical degree, transferring to a four-year college or taking a few personal enrichment courses, MHCC is the place for community members to accomplish their goals.

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For Immediate Release (#05-134)

Contact:
Bee Jai Repp, Portland State University (503-315-4587)
Court Carrier, Mt. Hood Community College (503-491-7486)
Dennis Burkholder, University Place (503-221-0140)