the dean

Experiential Learning
Spring 2011

Dr. John T. Bowen, Dean of the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston.

NINETY-ONE YEARS after Conrad Hilton opened his first hotel in Texas, one hotel bearing his name re-opened last year following a major $12.5 million renovation. Hilton University of Houston, the teaching hotel for the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, opened its doors as an upscale, contemporary hotel serving Houston’s business and leisure travelers.  MPG* recently spoke with Dr. John T. Bowen, Dean of the Hilton College, about the hotel, the college, and about preparing students for successful careers in the hospitality industry.

MPG : Tell us about the “new” Hilton University of Houston.

John:  We started the hotel’s renovation because, at the time, our students weren’t working in the hotel and we wanted to convert it back into a teaching and learning hotel. 

We received the funding to upgrade the hotel and then implemented a plan to get the students directly involved. Our students are passionate about hospitality and I knew that ingredient would help improve the level of service.  It has actually far exceeded my expectations.  With regards to the quality of service, the hotel moved up to the top ten percent of all Hiltons worldwide.  If you have passionate people with the proper training, success will follow.  It’s been really exciting to watch.

What are your top priorities as Dean?

With the state’s budget in the shape it is, we are facing budget cuts and are looking at new ways to keep the college moving forward.  We want to retain and perhaps add to our excellent faculty and continue to attract great students.  We’re exploring several ways of increasing revenue that include an Executive Master’s Program and developing international partners to find ways we might deliver our degree overseas including “two plus two” programs.

We are working with Vietnam National University where they are teaching the University of Houston core curriculum at their international education center.  Students can go through the first two years of the U of H program at Vietnam National University, transfer those credits to the University of Houston, and then come here for their second two years.  With the increase in tourism in that region, those people are very employable when they return home.

Is there one thing that members of this industry may not know about the college?

We focus on experiential education.  We provide students with not only a classroom education but we create employment opportunities for them through partnerships, internships and events that we hold at the university.  One example of a successful partnership is how our students are working with Fort Bend County on The Grand Wine and Food Affair.  We are always looking for work related experiences that help prepare the students for their careers.

I believe that the students who are the best at building friendships are the ones that are most successful in their careers.  How is the college developing their relationship building skills?

There are two types of relationships that we are trying to build – the internal amongst the students, and the external with industry leaders.

The students have told us that they feel a “sense of community” at the college and we are doing our best to build on that feeling.  We redid the library and archives, we created a coffee house, we put new furniture in the first floor lobby where students can get together and we promote regular student & alumni mixers.  We’re trying to create opportunities for the students to spend time together while they are here which helps create better alumni.

Externally, we started the Dean’s Leadership Series.  Each year, we bring 24 industry executives to talk with students.  We’ve expanded our Hall of Honor to a two day event where we invite industry leaders to attend and conduct panel discussions.

We try to stress that it’s not only what you know, it’s who you know and are trying to get the students to appreciate the long-term value of this principle.  Young people coming in from high school often don’t get it.  We have to help them understand the concept and create opportunities for them to build these relationships.  Many of our students are on social networks like Linkedin and Facebook so once they make a connection, they can stay connected. 

Is there a specialty area that employers are looking for?

With respect to our undergraduates, after graduation many of them go into corporate training programs.  The recruiters are looking for people who have outstanding communication skills, both oral and written.  This basic skill set is what they are looking for, knowing that they can provide specialized training within their company.

Does the college offer courses in meeting and event planning?

Yes.  We have a full-time person who focuses on meeting and events.  Students plan and execute two major events during the year - Gourmet Night, an elegant, student run reception and dinner in April, and the Hall of Honor in October.  This year’s Hall of Honor event will recognize Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata, the corporation that includes Taj Hotels (and one of the world’s richest men), and Randy and Carolyn Smith of Smith Travel Research.  Students have the opportunity to learn in the classroom and expand their learning by producing high level events.

What’s new within the hotel industry?

Certainly one of the industry trends is sustainability.  We are seeing more done with sustainable building materials, the conservation of energy, and recycling.

We are working closely the University of Houston College of Architecture for ideas that benefit the hotel industry and its guests.  They came up with a “biometric” room that includes special plants that create additional oxygen and filter the air instead of using conventional air filters.  The biometric room also includes a magnetic bed that floats and provides guests with the health benefits of magnetism.  Nanotechnology in self-cleaning windows is up and coming.  Providing healthier guest rooms is an emerging trend.

In this Internet Age, travelers now have instant access to information that helps with their travel plans including more transparent hotel room rates and online hotel reviews.  Even with all of the advances in technology, I believe we are going to return to the importance of human interaction and customer service as a point of differentiation among the hotels. 

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