Grand Valley and Hyatt Place announce scholarship

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) students at Grand Valley State University will benefit from the opening of the new Hyatt Place Grand Rapids/Wyoming.

Grand Valley already enjoys a strong partnership with Hyatt Place; 25 percent of the staff are Grand Valley HTM graduates or current students. Hyatt Place General Manager Bo Schmitz has taught classes in the Grand Valley HTM program, which includes nearly 500 students. More than 95 percent of graduating students either find a job in the hospitality management field or go on to graduate schools. The program offers a career emphasis in the areas of food and beverage management, lodging management, tourism and meeting and event planning.

Hyatt Place Grand Rapids/Wyoming will announce a scholarship opportunity for Grand Valley HTM students at a Grand Opening event Thursday, February 5, at 5 p.m., at  Hyatt Place Grand Rapids/Wyoming, located at the Metro Health Village at M-6 at Byron Center Road.

“We are very excited about this new venture and we appreciate their support,” said Paul Stansbie, chair of Grand Valley’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management. “This property provides an excellent employment resource for our interns and graduates. The innovative business model offers a wealth of learning experiences for our students in areas of quality management, facilities design and sustainable environmental practices.”

Grand Valley State University attracts nearly 24,000 students with high-quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley is the comprehensive regional university for Michigan’s second largest metropolitan area and offers 71 undergraduate and 26 graduate degree programs. It has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids and Holland, and centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The university is dedicated to individual student achievement, going beyond the traditional classroom experience, with research opportunities and business partnerships.

For more information, contact GVSU News and Information Services at (616) 331-2221 or Paul Stansbie at (616) 331-3118.