Northampton Community College (NCC) students seeking a four-year bachelor's degree in hospitality management can now add Penn State Berks or the School of Hospitality Management in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State University Park, to their list of possible schools at which they can pursue their academic degree in hospitality management.
Leaders from Penn State and NCC signed a transfer and articulation agreement this spring. The agreement establishes a program-to-program enrollment articulation agreement in hospitality management.
NCC students who successfully complete the requirements for an associate program within four years of their first enrollment at NCC are eligible to enter one of the Penn State programs (at Penn State Berks or at in the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State University Park) with junior status in either programs’ baccalaureate degree program.
"This articulation agreement is a wonderful new addition to our existing partnership with Penn State, creating yet another opportunity for our students,” says Mark Erickson, president of NCC. “What makes me happiest is that this agreement further expands access to higher education, which is at the core of our mission. We’re very proud to create this NCC-Penn State seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree in a field that is coming back stronger than ever.”
Access to these high-quality programs provides students from across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be poised for success in their career journey.
“The joint articulation agreement between NCC and our Penn State programs at UP and Berks in Hospitality Management provides a choice of pathways for students to pursue their degree in hospitality management” said Donna Quadri-Felitti, associate professor and Marvin Ashner Director of the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State, “The industry touches every community, small and large, and with a solid start at NCC, students choosing to continue their studies at Penn State have options for what works best for them and their professional dreams.”
Janelle Larson, associate professor and head of the Division of Engineering, Business and Computing at Penn State Berks, further noted, “A baccalaureate in hospitality management from Penn State prepares students to join and lead the dynamic hospitality sector in eastern Pennsylvania.”
Hospitality management represents a sector of the economy that is poised for significant growth, leading to tremendous opportunities for students, no matter where they elect to complete their studies. In a March 2021 article in Forbes Magazine, hospitality industry professionals were surveyed and over half of respondents predicted 2022 to be the year of complete travel recovery. United States 2021 summer reservation volume is 110% higher when compared to summer in the states this time last year. The resilient hospitality industry is poised for the demand for travel that is predicted to come with vaccines being more available while lockdown and other restrictions are eased.
“As the COVID vaccine reaches more people and the economy settles into a new post-pandemic stride, there is pent-up demand of consumers to be outside of their four walls,” said Denise Francois-Seeney, NCC’s dean of business and industry.
When transferring to Penn State Berks or Penn State University Park, NCC students must apply for admission, submit required transcripts and meet Penn State’s admissions requirements. Penn State application fees will be waived for NCC students who apply for the hospitality management baccalaureate program.
For more information about the Hospitality Management program at NCC, contact David Schweiger, director, at 610-332-8660 or dschweiger@northampton.edu, or visit www.northampton.edu/hospitality; at Penn State Berks contact Jennifer Wakemen at jvp5@psu.edu; at Penn State University Park, contact David Rachau, academic adviser in the School of Hospitality Management at dqr5@psu.edu, or Chris Arbutina at caa1@psu.edu in the College of Health and Human Development Center for Student Advising and Engagement.
About Northampton Community College
With an enduring commitment to the regional community it serves and a focus on student success, Northampton Community College has developed a reputation as an institution of extraordinary distinction, earning accolades at the state and national levels for innovative programs, outstanding faculty and impressive student achievements. It counts among its successful alumni a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner and an Academy Award winning director as well as a host of CEOs, presidents, and leaders of business and industry. Today, Northampton Community College has locations in Bethlehem, Southside Bethlehem, Easton, and Monroe County, serving 30,000 students each year from 53 counties, 42 countries and 25 states. For more information, or to apply, visit www.northampton.edu. Follow NCC on Twitter and Snapchat @NorthamptonComm and on Instagram @NorthamptonCommCollege. Like NCC on Facebook at Northampton Community College.
About the Hospitality Management program at NCC
The Hospitality Management program at Northampton Community College allows students to earn an a.a.s. degree (two-year) or a specialized diploma (one-year) in three areas of concentration: Hotel/Resort Operations, Restaurant Administration, and Meeting & Event Planning. In addition to having the only ACPHA (Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration) programs in the Commonwealth, the program offers students the opportunity to gain nationally recognized industry certifications, hands-on learning experience with industry leaders from across the region and hospitality management scholarships dedicated exclusively to students in our programs.
About Penn State Berks
Founded in 1958, Penn State Berks is set on 258 beautifully landscaped acres in Spring Township. The college offers 20 baccalaureate degree programs, including a bachelor of science in hospitality management with the entrepreneurship option. The college also offers four associate degree programs, a master of business administration degree, and a wide variety of continuing education courses. For more information about the Penn State Berks Hospitality Management program, contact Jennifer Wakemen at jvp5@psu.edu.
About the Penn State School of Hospitality Management
Established in 1937, Penn State’s School of Hospitality Management is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected schools of hospitality management. Its top-ranked undergraduate and doctoral programs prepare global leaders with a rigorous, diverse curriculum focused, since its inception, on engaged scholarship, featuring partnerships with Penn State's Hospitality Services, Housing and Food Services, and top global hospitality brands. It’s also home to the oldest Penn State alumni program group, the Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society. For more information about the school, contact Brian Black, director of industry and alumni relations, at bab180@psu.edu or 814-865-1853.