100 Years of Hospitality: How UNH Is Preparing Students for What's Next
Claire Boulanger ’27 (center), student general manager of the Gourmet Dinner, meets with fellow hospitality management students during preparations for the event at Wentworth by the Sea. The annual dinner celebrated 100 years of hospitality education at UNH.
For Claire Boulanger ’27, the most important part of hospitality isn't the food, the atmosphere, or even flawless event execution. It's how people feel when they leave.
As student general manager of the Gourmet Dinner, a signature hands-on learning experience for UNH hospitality management students, Boulanger helped lead this year's centennial celebration at Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle.
“The experience represents everything I love about hospitality: bringing people together, making them feel welcome, and creating something they'll remember,” Boulanger says.
That emphasis on human connection has helped define hospitality education at UNH for 100 years, even as the industry, career opportunities, and the program itself have evolved.
A Foundation in Business
Michaela Mazzei ’27 welcomes a guest during check-in for the Gourmet Dinner at Wentworth by the Sea.
Founded in 1926, UNH’s hospitality management program was the first in New England and is the second-oldest in the country, after Cornell University. It began as a hotel administration program in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture before becoming part of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics — now the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics.
In 2024, the program transitioned from a standalone bachelor's degree to an option within Paul's business administration program, giving students greater flexibility to combine hospitality management with other business disciplines.
John Murtha ’75, chair of the UNH Hospitality Management Advisory Board and task force general manager for Omni Hotels & Resorts, says that business foundation has been central to the program's longevity.
“It's very important today that students understand basic business and economic principles, including finance, marketing, macro and microeconomics, and analytics," Murtha says.
Garrison Dominguez ’18, assistant general manager at York Harbor Inn in Maine, experienced that versatility firsthand. Early in his career, an unexpected opportunity led him into hotel accounting, a role outside his preferred area of operations.
“I'm more of a people person than a spreadsheet guy,” Dominguez says. “But the program gave us the background to step into roles that might not be our strengths and still be successful.”
A Tight-Knit Alumni Community
Hospitality management alums have built careers across the country, from New England's historic hotels and resorts to major hospitality companies such as Marriott International, Hilton, and Four Seasons.
Murtha hired roughly two dozen UNH graduates while leading the Omni Parker House.
“They come out with a strong work ethic. They're humble, they listen, and they want to succeed," Murtha says. "They're also willing to pay their dues."
The program's two advisory boards — the Hospitality Management Advisory Board and the Board of Young Hospitality Professionals — bring together established industry leaders and recent graduates to advise on curriculum, mentor students, and connect them with internships and career opportunities.
Those connections helped Dominguez as a student and inspired him to give back as a board member.
“We had opportunities to get in front of decision-makers at major companies like Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons, and Kimpton Hotels, which is where I went to work after graduation," Dominguez says. "Having that face time was invaluable. It gave us an idea of how to act, what to say, and how to speak with industry professionals while we were still juniors and seniors in college.”
Putting Hospitality into Practice
For today's students, the program's emphasis on industry connections and hands-on learning helps them build leadership skills long before graduation. Leading a large team of her peers for the Gourmet Dinner tested Boulanger’s leadership skills.
"Experiences like Gourmet Dinner, event planning, leadership in my sorority, and a summer internship as an operations manager have helped me grow in confidence and find my strengths as a leader," Boulanger says. "I’ve learned how much I enjoy bringing people together around a shared goal and helping a team succeed."
Katie Danaher ’28, who served as public relations officer and creative director for the Gourmet Dinner, enjoys the range of hospitality management. Along with gaining experience at a five-star resort, she works at the UNH Entrepreneurship Center and is president of Eta Sigma Delta, the hospitality honor society, where she built a website that connects students with alums.
"Making people happy and providing services that make people feel cared about is what fulfills me," Danaher says. "UNH has given me countless opportunities to get involved in everything I could think of to learn and grow.”
Preparing the Next Generation of Professionals
Krista Marvel (right), lecturer and hospitality management option coordinator, works with a student during Gourmet Dinner preparations in the kitchen at Wentworth by the Sea.
As the hospitality industry evolves, Krista Marvel, lecturer and hospitality management option coordinator, sees an increasing emphasis on creating meaningful customer experiences.
“We're really focused on customer service management and how you create experiences for guests or customers,” Marvel says. “There's a concept called narrative hospitality. Rather than simply providing a product or service, you're guiding guests through an entire experience, bringing together all the elements of a business to create something memorable.”
That focus is opening doors beyond traditional hospitality settings. Marvel points to students working at companies like Fidelity, where they plan internal employee events and gatherings for other stakeholders. Hands-on learning through industry visits, job shadowing, and event planning remains central to preparing students for those opportunities.
“The hospitality industry of tomorrow is going to be much broader than it has been,” Marvel says. “I tell my students all the time that hospitality can take you anywhere. Your career can look very different depending on which sector you pursue, and that gives you enormous flexibility throughout your career.”
Danaher is bullish on the industry’s future and sees artificial intelligence (AI) renewing people’s appreciation for the personal touch.
"I am starting to see people become exhausted from AI integration in other parts of their lives and see them feeling refreshed when good human customer service is provided," Danaher says.
Lucy Gilson, dean of Paul College, believes the program's greatest strengths will remain relevant even as the hospitality industry evolves.
"The rise of AI makes authentic human connection and memorable guest experiences more important than ever,” Gilson says. “By blending our signature human-centered philosophy with top-tier business education, Paul College is preparing leaders whose impact will extend far beyond traditional hospitality.”
For Boulanger, it comes down to something simple.
“People will always value human connection,” Boulanger says. “A warm welcome, a thoughtful gesture, or someone taking the time to make you feel special can turn an ordinary visit into a lasting memory.”
