Abstract
Service learning opportunities in the hospitality industry are particularly important for students seeking to work in the meeting and event planning industry. The study examined whether the service learning assignment: (1) personally benefitted the student; (2) benefitted the sponsoring organization; (3) student’s participation enhanced the visibility of the hospitality program; (3) where beneficial to the student’s career goals; and (5) increased the student’s awareness of community issue or events. The results indicated compulsory service learning assignments have benefitted the students personally and career wise. In addition, it benefitted the sponsoring organization as well as enhanced the visibility of the hospitality program.
Highlights
Service learning and community engagement are examples of hands-on activities that hospitality students can do
Service-learning opportunities are important for students seeking work in the meeting and event planning industry
Faculty of a hospitality program at a regional university in East Texas decided to investigate the benefits in embedding service learning activities to their hospitality courses
Summary
Service learning and community engagement are examples of hands-on activities that hospitality students can do. By integrating course content with real-world experience, service learning has tremendous potential to meet faculty goals for student learning while making unique contributions to addressing critical community needs. Service-learning opportunities are important for students seeking to work in the meeting and event planning industry. O’Halloran and O’Halloran (1999) identified characteristics of service learning opportunities for hospitality students with great implications for learning experiences and client needs. In the fall 2015 semester, the faculty of a hospitality program at a regional university in East Texas decided to investigate the benefits in embedding service learning activities to their hospitality courses. Study to investigate student perceptions in their participation in compulsory service learning assignments was created and implemented.
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