UNLV is introducing several new programs and scholarships in conjunction with the hospitality and gaming industry's effort to attract more minority employees and executives.
Stuart Mann, dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, said the goal of the recruitment programs is to encourage minorities, particularly African-Americans and Hispanics, to attend college and consider careers in hospitality and gaming.
"There is a nationwide shortage of qualified minorities to fill management positions in a broad range of hospitality industries," said Mann. "For a variety of reasons, we do not see large numbers of African-Americans or Hispanics pursuing degrees that may lead to management careers in hospitality and gaming. This makes it more difficult for these industries to hire and promote qualified minority managers."
The Harrah Hotel College is working to attract more Clark County high school students through faculty visits to schools, follow-up contacts with students and parents, and campus tours and classroom participation to introduce them to college life. Further, a reorganized student chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality has created a program whereby Harrah Hotel College minority students will serve as mentors for area high school students.
In addition, a partnership has just been formed between UNLV, the University of Mississippi, Boyd Gaming, and the Boyd Foundation. Minority students who have graduated with a degree in business from the University of Mississippi will be eligible to pursue a second degree in hotel administration from UNLV and receive up to $12,000 in scholarship support for the one-year program. Boyd Gaming will also sponsor paid internships at its Tunica, Miss., and Las Vegas properties as part of the second degree program.
The Boyd Foundation has contributed $100,000 to a scholarship fund for this purpose. Additional funds for the partnership will be provided through Southern Wine & Spirit's UNLVino wine tasting event held each year to benefit the Harrah Hotel College.
"We are very excited by this partnership between the University of Mississippi and UNLV's Harrah Hotel College," said William S. Boyd, CEO and chairman of the board of Boyd Gaming Corporation. "The Boyd Foundation's scholarship gift will enable academically talented minority students to learn about the hospitality and gaming industries through internships and additional classroom studies. We look forward to welcoming the first scholarship recipients to UNLV," said Boyd.
