Running a five‑star dining room. Crafting global travel experiences. Bringing dream weddings to life. Elevating dishes to Michelin‑starred standards.

These careers may seem worlds apart, but they share a common starting point: the Hospitality and Food Industry Management (HFIM) program at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Having achieved NICHE’s No. 1 ranking for public universities with hospitality management programs and a top 5 ranking in U.S. News & World Report, the program’s explosive growth continues, with a 335% increase in enrollment over the past five years and 100% career outcomes rate for graduates in 2024-25.

“The fast growth of our program demonstrates that hospitality and tourism are vital components of the state’s economy,” said John Salazar, professor and HFIM director. “Our program is not based on theory or case studies; it’s grounded in real-world experience and the practice of hospitality leadership.”

The Delta Air Lines Foundation gift

Soon, that real-world experience will reach new heights as the HFIM program transforms student learning through a $10.39 million renovation led by a $5 million commitment from The Delta Air Lines Foundation.

“The Delta Air Lines Foundation’s continued investment in the University of Georgia highlights the strength of our partnership and speaks to the positive, lasting impact they have had on our campus,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead.

“Their support of the Hospitality and Food Industry Management program will provide transformative learning opportunities that prepare our students for a lifetime of impact in this important industry.”

The renovations will transform the Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel, a unit of UGA’s Public Service and Outreach. The Georgia Center partners with the HFIM program to provide students access to a real-world learning lab. This unique partnership allows students to apply classroom knowledge in live settings, including guest services operations, event coordination and logistics, and revenue and performance analysis.

“Housing this investment within a Public Service and Outreach unit gives students real‑world experience alongside professionals whose work is rooted in service,” said Stacy Jones, vice president for public service and outreach. “That connection to our land-grant and sea-grant mission strengthens learning and prepares graduates to excel in an industry built on serving others.”

The conference center, which serves 200,000 guests annually, will gain a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen and cutting-edge labs for event and beverage management.
“The hospitality industry is vitally important to our business, the communities we serve and our economy, and we are proud to afford UGA students with real-world skills and experience to prepare them to lead in this vibrant industry,” said Tad Hutcheson, senior vice president of The Delta Air Lines Foundation.

From vision to reality

The project’s design phase began in early 2026, with construction scheduled to begin in early 2027. The new spaces are slated to open to students in time for the fall 2028 semester.

“This effort represents a critical investment in our students and our state, preparing them for leadership roles in Georgia’s vital tourism and hospitality industry, which contributes more than $80 billion to the state’s economy,” Salazar said. Hospitality and tourism together form Georgia’s second-largest industry, behind agriculture.

Phase 1: Teaching kitchen, event lab

The teaching kitchen and event lab will be purpose-built to support key HFIM curriculum components, including food and beverage operations and facility and event planning and management.

In these spaces, students will move beyond theory to engage directly with the equipment, systems and workflows that define modern food service and event execution.

“The new teaching kitchen and event management lab will embody the powerful synergy between the Georgia Center and the HFIM program. By expanding hands-on student management opportunities in culinary arts, event operations and food service leadership, this state-of-the-art facility will equip the next generation of industry leaders with the real-world skills they need to thrive,” said W. Patrick Fullbright, interim Georgia Center director.

The teaching kitchen will accommodate up to 48 students. Fourteen teaching stations equipped with high-tech audiovisual technology will immerse students in live demonstrations. Students will learn basic cooking techniques, develop novel food concepts, and gain the skills needed for both commercial and noncommercial food production settings.

Students enrolled in HFIM courses focused on commercial food production, food and beverage operations, and hospitality food management will gain hands-on experience in the teaching kitchen.

Meanwhile, a flexible 4,200-square-foot event space can be divided into two or three smaller gathering areas, with movable walls, high-quality audiovisual technology, stackable chairs and round dining tables. The lab will serve as the real-world setting for all HFIM students, particularly those enrolled in the “Facility and Event Planning and Management” course.

Phase 2: The beverage laboratory

The second phase of development will introduce the beverage laboratory, a space designed to expand the HFIM curriculum into specialized sectors of the industry.
The laboratory will provide advanced training in beverage management, from wine service to mixology, equipping HFIM students with the nuanced skills required for leadership roles in upscale restaurants, luxury hotels and private clubs, preparing them for the highest levels of guest service.

“The new experiential spaces within the Georgia Center will allow me to see the start-to-finish process of event planning procedures we study in class each day,” said Bobby Gillespie, an HFIM major and hotel front desk clerk at the Georgia Center. “I am extremely excited to gain hands-on experience in all aspects of hospitality right here on campus.”

Editor’s note: These renderings are for illustration only, and are subject to change as the project develops.