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About Resort Management



Watch this video to learn more about Lakeland's Resort Management program.

The hospitality industry is part of the travel and tourism industry that is continually evolving. This larger industry consists of: accommodations including hotels/resorts; transportation including airlines, cruise ships; attractions, both man-made (Disney World) and natural (Grand Canyon); and food and beverage, restaurants and eating establishments. With this industry being the second largest employer in the United States and with an economic impact of over $780 billion a year and growing, employment is available not only throughout the United States, but worldwide.

The resort management program prepares students for a very diverse work environment that is truly international in scope and continually expanding. Students are prepared for entry-level supervisory or management roles in the resort/hospitality/travel and tourism industries with instruction in the areas of food and beverage, lodging accommodations, meeting and event planning and resort operations.

With the resort management program being one of the most practical and applied majors at Lakeland College, students completing the program will build a resume during their college careers. Included in this résumé are areas that support the college's Student-As-Practitioner (SAP) initiative. Such areas include:

  • Practicum — Convention planning, food and beverage management, resort operations;
  • Course projects — Creating a restaurant and developing a menu for it, renovation plan for a hotel, creating a marketing plan for adding a perspective business to the local area;

  • Two internships — Various opportunities are available throughout the U.S. and the world.

    Lakeland's resort management students and graduates have gained valuable career experience through internships with the following companies:

    • The American Club
    • Princess Lodges
    • Hilton Hotels
    • American Hospitality Academy
    • Hyatt Hotels and Resorts
    • Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center
    • The Osthoff Resort
    • The Cove of Lake Geneva
    • Radisson Hotels and Resorts
    • Nikko Hotel Tokyo
    • PGA
    • Country Inn & Suites
    • Intercontinental Hotel Seoul
    • Hilton Tokyo
    • Walt Disney World
    • Hyatt Regency Tokyo
    • Pacific Island Club - Guam
    • The Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spa - Scotland
    • Rio Verde Country Club - Phoenix
  • Foreign language (2 semesters of the same foreign language)
  • Property tours/site visits - Blue Harbor Resort, The Osthoff Resort, The American Club, Riverbend Private Membership Club, Lambeau Field

Upon graduation from the resort management program, graduates have enjoyed 100% placement within their field since the inception of the program. They have secured employment at companies such as:

  • The American Club - Front Desk Manager/Executive Housekeeper
  • Riverbend Private Membership Club - General Manager
  • The Osthoff Resort - Assistant Restaurant Manager
  • Blue Harbor Resort - Director of Guest Services/Front Desk Manager
  • The Bull at Pinehurst Farms - Assistant Golf Professional
  • Ritz Carlton Hotels and Resorts - Assistant Food & Beverage Manager
  • Hyatt Hotels and Resorts - Assistant Executive Housekeeper
  • Country Inns & Suites - Sales Coordinator
  • Princess Lodges - Rooms Division Manager
  • The Pfister - Assistant Front Desk Manager
  • Kalahari Resorts - Rooms Division Manager/Front Desk Manager

Students who major in resort management will be able to:

  • Understand and apply business and economic concepts and theories to resort industry contexts;
  • Appreciate the scope, magnitude, and nature of employment within the resort industry;
  • Demonstrate their skills in, knowledge of, commitment to, and talent for the resort industry;
  • Comprehend the ways in which economic institutions and behaviors at various levels influence business decisions and practices; and
  • Communicate business and economic information to stakeholders in a clear and professional manner.
Charles Stockman

Charles Stockman

A driving force behind the creation of Lakeland's popular resort management program, Chuck Stockman teaches students how to open doors to a myriad of career possibilities. A member of Lakeland's...
Read more about Charles Stockman