Students at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration are putting their academic skills to work by helping plan the Harlem Hospitality Project (HHP), a venture designed to provide hospitality and culinary arts educational opportunities to students in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City through both an academic curriculum and a working hotel.

Through the program, graduates would earn an associate's degree in hospitality and culinary arts and possibly continue on to four-year hospitality programs. The mission of HHP is to provide Harlem students with skills they can use to earn a living wage and, ultimately, travel the path of economic self-sustainability.
Five students have collaborated this semester to form a plan for HHP's academic program, preparing a strategic marketing plan and conducting a feasibility study to evaluate the viability of the hotel. 
They will soon present their findings to the HHP development team, which includes representatives from the Roberts Hotel Group, the largest African-American owned and managed real estate development company in the United States.
"Not only is this a chance for our students to apply what they're learning in the classroom, it is also a wonderful opportunity for them to make a difference in a community and in the hospitality industry," said Kate Walsh, associate professor of management, who is co-facilitating the project with Amy Newman, lecturer.

The Hospitality Industry Practicum -- a multidisciplinary course that fosters skills in entrepreneurship, innovation and project management -- is sponsored by the Hospitality Innovation Program in the School of Hotel Administration's Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship.

HHP is the vision of former NFL player Duke Fergerson, a football coach and advocate for Harlem youth. To assist with the development of the project, Fergerson has engaged The Roberts Hotel Group.

"We see this as a great opportunity to continue to foster a relationship with School of Hotel Administration while creating and managing a landmark hospitality facility," said Steve Roberts, president and principal of RHG.