DePaul to launch hospitality leadership school

DePaul University recently received a $7.5 million gift—the school's second largest private donation ever—from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to establish the DePaul School of Hospitality Leadership, which will help address the hospitality industry's growing need for highly-educated, diverse management.

Based at the university's nationally recognized College of Commerce in downtown Chicago, the school will offer a bachelor's degree in hospitality leadership beginning in the fall of 2009 to prepare students for management roles at hotels, restaurants, convention and tourism ventures, spas and related leisure industries.

In addition to targeting traditional undergraduates, the innovative program will seek to enroll qualified Chicago hospitality workers who want to move into management but lack the educational credentials to do so. The goal is to help these workers—many of whom are minorities and/or potential first generation college students—embark on management career paths through greater access to education. Ongoing fundraising will support DePaul's plans to add graduate degrees, continuing education programs and a research center at the school.

"Chicago is the third largest convention destination in the United States and has been chosen as a candidate city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. It deserves a world class hospitality school to support this major industry," said the Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, C.M., DePaul president. "Thanks to this generous donation from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, DePaul can build a program that will educate leaders from diverse backgrounds for this industry."