Industry partners advance student success at HMGT Day
Hospitality leaders connect through ‘opening doors’ career fair, breakout sessions and dinner
From the hum of networking in the Shirley and Joe Swinbank ’74 AgriLife Center to heartfelt individual recognition at the Unity Dinner, the Texas A&M Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism, HMGT, showcased the connection between students and the hospitality and tourism industry during HMGT Day.
“Strong industry partnerships are central to everything we do,” said Brian King, Ph.D., head of the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism. “This event reflects the momentum of our program and the confidence the sector has in the talent we are developing at Texas A&M. Hospitality is about people, and this day was a celebration of relationships — both existing and emerging.”
More than networking
Organized by the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism within the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the March 20 “opening doors” event brought together more than 200 students and 21 industry partners for a day that went far beyond a typical career fair.
Executives from top hotel brands, state agencies and tourism organizations offered career advice, hosted breakout sessions and reinforced their investment in the next generation of hospitality professionals.
“This is more than networking — it’s about forging relationships that will shape students’ careers and create an alignment that will strengthen the future of the industry within Texas and beyond,” said Dan Eichler, assistant professor of the practice and organizer for the opening doors event.
Students heard from leaders across the industry, including representatives at Marriott International, Thompson Austin, by Hyatt, and the Fairmont Austin, in breakout sessions focused on global trends and emerging technologies in guest experience. Local voices, including from the Texas Historical Commission and Texas Brazos Trail, added perspective on careers within the Lone Star State’s booming tourism sector.
“This event showed me how invested the industry is in our success as students,” said Juliana Smith, an HMGT student ambassador. “The program has sharpened my communication and project management skills — and now I am excited to apply them during my internship at the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth.”
A celebration of connection and recognition
The spirit of connection carried into the department’s first-ever Unity Dinner, where 185 students, faculty and industry representatives gathered to celebrate the achievements of current and former students and the program’s growing momentum.
Eighteen student scholarship winners were honored, and seven awards for excellence, including Chris DeChillo, who received the department’s inaugural Hospitality Excellence Award, and Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks, who earned the Department Founder’s Award.
The evening concluded with a Lifetime Achievement Award for John Crompton, Ph.D., a University Distinguished Professor and associate head of graduate and undergraduate programs, recognizing his profound contributions and lasting impact on hospitality and tourism education.
“Our inaugural HMGT Day was a true celebration of our department’s progress,” King said. “We’re just getting started, and our connections with the industry will only continue to grow.”
