One of the Tudor-style residences at Niagara University has been named to honor a longtime partner and supporter of the institution.
What was once known as Varsity Village House No. 2 is now called the Statler Hospitality House, a tribute to the Buffalo-based Statler Foundation, which for decades has supported Niagara University through funding for scholarships, programs and capital improvements.
Positioned centrally on the university’s campus, the two-story residence will be renovated in preparation to house a select group of students who are studying in Niagara’s acclaimed College of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The students will gain experiential learning opportunities with the university’s Center for Conferences and Events.
The Statler Hospitality House will open this fall.
“The continued generosity of the Statler Foundation has, for many years, allowed us to augment the programming and facilities for our hospitality and tourism students,” said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of Niagara University. “This next phase of our transformative partnership truly exemplifies our collective vision for a living-learning laboratory at Niagara University.”
At the heart of the project is the opportunity for about 10 tourism and event management majors to live in community and supplement their classroom learning with the practical application of planning and executing university events.
“This new initiative will give students unique access to the events, knowledge and experts they need to directly enter into and succeed in hospitality careers,” said Dr. Kurt Stahura, dean of NU’s College of Hospitality and Tourism Management. “We are grateful to the Statler Foundation for helping us to maintain and expand this focus, making our students even better prepared and more desirable for selection by future employers, and allowing our nationally ranked program to improve its reputation.”
The College of Hospitality and Tourism Management’s focus on practical industry applications has allowed Niagara University to build relationships with some the best hospitality companies in the industry. It is also one of the founding members of Hotel Schools of Distinction (formerly Leading Hotel Schools of the World).
Niagara University’s College of Hospitality and Tourism Management offers undergraduate degree programs in hotel and restaurant management, sport and recreation management, and tourism and event management, as well as a graduate program in sport management. To learn more, please call 716.286.8279 or visit www.niagara.edu/hospitality.
The Statler Foundation was established in 1927 by the estate of hotelier Ellsworth M. Statler, whose will directed that his foundation support research and training efforts to benefit the hotel industry. In 1999, it provided $1.525 million to help transform the fourth floor of St. Vincent’s Hall at Niagara University into a top teaching and dining facility. The foundation’s philanthropy has also furnished NU with funding to bolster student scholarships, develop academic programming, bring experts to campus, create cutting-edge learning spaces, and expand the college’s international programs, including joint degree offerings with partner schools in Peru and Germany.