Although it was raining outside the Kellogg West Conference Center on Thursday, Feb. 19, Broncos didn’t let opportunity slip through their fingers. Indoors, students and alumni arrived in professional attire, resumes in hand, ready to connect with leaders across the hospitality industry.
Hosted by The Collins College of Hospitality Management (CCHM) and co-sponsored by the CPP Career Center, the annual Hospitality Expo brought major hospitality firms to campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., recruiting for internships, summer roles and full-time careers.
This year’s employer lineup — 37 strong — reflected the industry’s depth and breadth.
- Auberge Collection
- Balboa Bay Resort & Club
- Catalina Island Company
- Commerce Casino
- CPP Foundation, Inc - Dining Services
- Delaware North
- Dorchester Collection
- Encore
- Enterprise Mobility
- Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
- Hyatt Hotels Corporation
- IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Jackson Family Wines
- JL Restaurant Management LLC
- Jonathan Club
- Kellogg West Conference Center
- Lazy Dog Restaurants
- Levy
- Marriott International
- Marriott Vacations Worldwide
- Maybourne Beverly Hills
- Out West Restaurant Group (Franchisee of Outback Steakhouse)
- Pacifica Hotels
- Panda Restaurant Group
- Porto's Bakery & Café
- Pyramid Global Hospitality
- Rosewood Miramar Beach
- Suntex Marinas
- Sysco Los Angeles
- Tharaldson Hospitality
- The Habit Burger
- The h.wood Group
- The Little Nell
- The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel
- Towne Park
- Wedgewood Weddings
Students engaged directly with these company leaders and hiring decision-makers throughout the day.
The Road to Hospitality Expo
The expo marked the culmination of 'Journey to Jobs', an eight-week preparation plan designed to help students approach the event with focus and intention. This program, developed by the Dean's Advisory Board Student Success Committee, takes lessons from Paola Taylor's Build Your Personal Brand resource and, through the help of Margaret Bailey, outdoor hospitality executive at CHM Government Services, breaks down all the steps for preparation into bite-sized chunks.
One especially interactive step came during week four, when students participated in one-on-one resume and LinkedIn review sessions with hospitality industry professionals and members of the dean’s advisory board, who play a pivotal role in student success. Participants included:
- Margaret Bailey, CHM Government Services (Outdoor Hospitality Executive)*
- Tia Brieninger, Marriott
- Jim Carlson, MPC Property
- Richard Chang, Sysco
- Christy Castillo Butcher, SoFi Stadium
- Jim Dina, Pyramid Global Hospitality
- Kimberlina Escalera, The Beach Club
- Rhonda Gharib, Hotels and Lodging
- David Hamano, Universal Studios Hollywood
- Jacob League, Mendocino Farms
- Martina Di Napoli, Storia Mia Events
- Paul Tchen, Abbeymei Limited
- Cary Wheeland, Bon Appétit Management Company
During these sessions, students received individualized feedback from leaders across hotels, tourism, food and beverage and event services. Conversations focused on strengthening resumes, refining LinkedIn profiles and clarifying career direction ahead of the expo.
Weeks of preparation meant students arrived at Kellogg West with polished materials and a clear sense of purpose.
Teaming Up with Industry Titans
Employer tables filled three rooms with companies representing lodging, attractions, destination marketing, real estate advisory, foodservice and hospitality technology. Seniors, who made up the majority of students, focused on post-graduation roles, while juniors explored internship pathways and alumni expanded their professional networks.
While Collins students made up most attendees, the expo welcomed Broncos from the College of Business Administration, the Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture, the College of Engineering and the College of Professional and Global Education. The mix of majors reflected hospitality’s reach across operations, finance, events, food systems and tourism.
Executive Access in the Green Room
Support on the day of the event extended beyond kind introductions and a whisper of good luck. Just steps from the main rooms, a student-run green room provided space to regroup between employer conversations.
Students stored personal items, reviewed notes and prepared for their next introduction. A headshot booth offered updated professional photos. Printers ensured resumes were ready if students ran into technical difficulties or had an excess of opportunities to pass them out to interested partners. Blazers were available for students who needed one.
Supporting this peer-lead space throughout the event were Dean’s Advisory Board members who worked directly with students in the green room to refine elevator pitches before they returned to the expo floor.
- Margaret Bailey, CHM Government Services (Outdoor Hospitality Executive)*
- Bryan Churchill, Los Angeles Tourism Board
- Bruce Gorelick, Marriott International (Hospitality Executive)*
- Dave Hamano, Universal Studios
The Dean’s Advisory Board
CCHM has offered cutting-edge curriculum for more than 50 years, supported by the Dean’s Advisory Board — an accomplished group of hospitality leaders who help ensure programs and learning experiences align with industry needs.
As a result, students gain relevant knowledge and skills for career success while benefiting from strong industry connections and meaningful engagement with hospitality professionals.
The Journey to Jobs was flush with support for students from these standout members of our Bronco community, and on the day of our biggest career event of the year, they showed up to support with the same hands-on approach students have experienced in every aspect of their Cal Poly Pomona experience.
The Follow-Through: Pizza and Pursuit
The momentum continued after the rooms cleared.
During 'Pizza and Pursuit', students gathered during U-hour to figure out what comes next under Bailey’s energetic guidance. With business cards collected from employer tables and job postings pulled from Handshake and company websites, classmates took notes on how to draft thank-you emails, submit resumes and complete applications side by side.
This final touchpoint was crucial to our students’ full journey since employers may attend the Hospitality Expo to secure summer hires. Timely applications can move candidates into the interview process quickly. Working collectively, students turned aspirations into concrete next steps.
Preparation to Opportunity
Despite rainy weather, engagement remained strong throughout the day. Students arrived prepared and left with meaningful connections and actionable next steps.
The Hospitality Expo continues to connect classroom learning with direct industry access. Through structured preparation from 11 in-class career workshops complete with homework assignments, engagement with leaders and disciplined follow-through during personalized mentoring sessions, students advanced toward careers across hospitality, tourism, events, real estate and food and beverage.
At The Collins College of Hospitality Management, opportunity is built through preparation, partnership and real-world access.
*Retired
