As students and visitors stream through Hospitality Hall, many do a double-take when they come upon a sudden burst of color outside the second-floor computer lab.
What starts as a vibrant distraction reveals itself to be a map of the modern hospitality industry: a roulette wheel, an airplane, a martini glass, an event lighting truss. Yet the mural’s most striking feature isn’t an object, but a person — the woman gazing across the canvas.
“She represents all of the women who have shaped and continue to shape the global hospitality industry,” says Kim Williams, professor and associate dean at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality.
Williams teaches Women in Hospitality Leadership — a 300-level course that integrates the experiences of industry executives, who serve as guest speakers. Classroom topics range from entrepreneurship to leadership, specifically focusing on the unique challenges women in hospitality face in their career advancement.
Williams views her course (and the mural) as an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of industry trailblazers while recognizing that work remains to be done to improve access to leadership roles.
Whether due to a lack of mentorship, stereotyping, inflexible corporate culture, or a combination of factors, studies show women have traditionally faced greater professional barriers in the hotel, gaming, and restaurant segments than their male counterparts. Female professionals in the United States hold just 30% of leadership positions, despite occupying over 51% of hospitality jobs. And though much progress has been made in the industry, female representation among C-suite executives and business owners remains limited.
Williams’ course aims to close this gap by creating an open dialogue.
“We want to have these conversations so that students feel empowered to make change,” says Williams, whose class consists of both female and male students. “The class is engaged because all of the students are taking away lessons that will help them in their leadership journeys.”
A Creative Partnership
UNLV alumni and co-founders of Graffiti Park, Daniel Bulgatz, ’19 Hospitality Management, and Daniel Maloney, ’18 Economics, partnered with the Hospitality College to create the mural. Capturing the right graphic elements and the spirit of female strength in the artwork proved to be a labor of love for the duo.
“As Rebels, we’re big supporters of UNLV,” says Bulgatz. “It was really fun working with the Hospitality College, bringing in a talented artist — who is also a UNLV alumnus — to help realize the college’s vision.”
The Women in Hospitality Mural is now a central focal point of Hospitality Hall, serving as a daily reminder that the future of hospitality is innovative and open to change owed in great part to the enduring legacy of remarkable women.
