Since its inception nearly three decades ago, the 麻豆原创鈥檚 Hospitality Management program has seen unprecedented growth, expanding from small subset of the University鈥檚 College of Business to its own College with nearly 3,500 students. And come May 4th, 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management will see one of its founding students walk across the graduation stage for the final time, as 48-year-old Scott Smith will receive his Ph.D. in Hospitality Education. Smith鈥檚 Ph.D. will mark the first time in Rosen College鈥檚 29-year history that a hospitality management student has earned a bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚, and doctoral degree all from 麻豆原创.
Born and raised in Orlando, Smith had the unique experience of watching his modest hometown developed into the world鈥檚 premiere tourist destination. And just as quick as hotels and attractions began spreading throughout area, so did Smith鈥檚 fascination with the hospitality and tourism industry.
鈥淲hen I was 16, I applied for a job at Disney and haven鈥檛 stopped working in the hospitality industry since,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淚鈥檝e just always had a fascination with the industry.鈥�
In 1982, Smith enrolled at 麻豆原创 as a freshman, and two years later the 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Business began a degree program specializing in hospitality management 鈥� an opportunity that Smith was excited to take advantage of that semester.
鈥淚 remember seeing these posters around campus advertising this new hospitality management program,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淎s soon as I saw the posters, I knew I had to be part of the program, and so I ended up enrolling into the first two hospitality classes ever offered by 麻豆原创.鈥�
By the summer 1987, Smith graduated from 麻豆原创 as one of the first ten students to declare the hospitality major and immediately began working in Orlando鈥檚 competitive hotel industry. Roughly 15 years later, Smith was at the peak of his career, serving as the general manager of one Orlando鈥檚 busiest hotels, when he decided to pursue a master鈥檚 degree.
鈥淚 was at the peak of my career and I kept thinking about the next step to take in my life, and I decided to go back to school and get a master鈥檚,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淐oincidentally, that year 麻豆原创 was starting a master鈥檚 program in Hospitality and Tourism Management, so I agreed to step down as GM of my hotel, accept a sales & marketing manager position, and began pursuing my master鈥檚 at 麻豆原创.鈥�
While pursuing his master鈥檚 degree, Smith was approached by the then Associate Dean, Dr. Stephen LeBruto, to teach classes at the Rosen College as an adjunct professor.
鈥淏eing asked to teach hospitality management classes was a great opportunity for me because I got to see if this was the right direction for my career,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淭eaching just felt right, it felt natural.鈥�
Smith鈥檚 decision to begin teaching in the classroom seems to have been the right career move as he was voted the eighth best university professor in 2009 by Ratemyprofessor.com, which ranks more than a million college professors.
Smith eventually joined the Rosen College faculty full time, as a Ph.D. candidate.
This past semester, Smith completed his doctoral dissertation, which focused on consumer perceptions of hotel pricing and cancelation policies.
鈥淚鈥檓 a hotel guy, who has run the sales and marketing department, and I was very interested in researching consumer behavior with regard to hotel pricing,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淚 wanted to examine why people pick the hotels they do and why they cancel their reservations. Dr. H.G. Parsa was able to help me direct my research and guide me through the entire process.鈥�
Smith also credits his success to two of his current colleagues Dr. Abraham Pizam and Professor Bob Ashley, who have both served on 麻豆原创鈥檚 Hospitality Management faculty since the program鈥檚 inception.
After the May 4 commencement ceremony, Dr. Scott Smith will look to continue educating students about the competitive hotel industry.