Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Department Emerges

Date:  Sept. 11, 1997
Editor: D'Lyn Ford  (505) 646-6528, dlford@nmsu.edu

LAS CRUCES -- The hospitality and tourism services program graduate to become the newest academic department at New Mexico State University, July 1 and was awarded with a 7.5-percent increase in student majors this fall.

The new name of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management accompanied departmental status to better describe career tracks of students, said Pat Moreo, department head.

"Under the old name, people thought we were the university's caterer and host," Moreo said. "Now we're clearly defined as an academic department."

Under the old moniker, the program graduated 260 majors since the program's funding in 1988, with many garnering management positions in major hotels, restaurants, casinos and tourism posts around the country. The major at NMSU remains the only one of its kind in the state.

"There is a huge demand for educated managers," Moreo said. "We can place more people, so our plan is to have 400 majors in the next few years."

The 271 students now working toward degrees in the department must complete 128 semester hours of course work plus 400 hours of practical work experience and a 400-hour internship. Students have their own association and have become popoular hosts of entertainment and dining on campus.

An agreement with the new Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, the nation's largest agricultural museum, makes the museum near campus a learning center for student majors, as well.

For information on the department, call (800) 400-1807