Las Vegas Sands and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Select 15 HBCU Students for Annual Immersive Las Vegas Experience June 16-22
The Sands Hospitality Immersion Program aims to create pathways to careers in hospitality and tourism for students from historically Black colleges and universities.
LAS VEGAS, June 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) today announced that 15 students representing 10 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) from around the country have been selected to participate in the second annual Sands Hospitality Immersion Program, June 16-22 in Las Vegas.
Sands and TMCF, the only national organization exclusively representing the Black college community, established the Sands Hospitality Immersion Program to encourage interest in travel, tourism and leisure by exposing HBCU students to the inner workings of the Las Vegas hospitality industry.
The 15 rising junior and senior students selected for the exclusive summer program include Joshua Lee, Alabama A&M University; Waneysha Louissaint, Bethune-Cookman University; Tori Carlisle, Coppin State University; Fatima Diallo, Eli Pearson, Salimah Scott and Morayo Adeyemi, Howard University; Mya Mendoza and Denise White-Scott, Morgan State University; Hizikiel Holloman and Trevor Elliott, North Carolina A&T State University; Christian Nettles, North Carolina Central University; Zora Cunningham, Tuskegee University; Malaysia Jones, Virginia Union University; and Darryl Quick, Jr., Winston-Salem University.
Students are studying a range of majors including business, computer science, communications, finance, hospitality management, information technology, marketing, sales and supply chain management. They will receive a deep introduction to the travel, tourism and leisure industry and its wide range of professional positions, to inspire them to consider one of the world's fastest-growing and largest employment fields.
"As a sales and marketing major, this experience will help me to better understand customer engagement," said Zora Cunningham, a Tuskegee University student and immersion program participant. "By understanding this crucial practice in hospitality, I can apply these strategies to broader marketing efforts. This experience will also help me build valuable connections, gain practical insights and develop a deeper appreciation for personalized service and attention to detail."
The multi-day experience is being curated by the Harrah College of Hospitality's Sands Center for Professional Development at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Program elements include on-campus learning sessions with college faculty, industry speakers and interactive activities such as a cooking competition led by the college's executive chefs. Over the course of the program, student participants will receive special insider tours of integrated resorts, convention spaces and sports venues.
In addition, students will visit Sands' corporate headquarters to hear from professionals who will outline their experience in a wide range of disciplines and provide insights into the realm of professional services within the hospitality industry.
The travel, tourism and leisure industry continues to experience tremendous job growth and encompasses many professional positions. Beyond traditional hospitality tracks in hotel operations or restaurants, meetings and venue management, the industry offers career opportunities in finance, marketing, sales, human resources, information technology, legal and other professional service fields.
"The Sands Hospitality Immersion is a transformative initiative designed to give HBCU students unparalleled access and exposure to the dynamic field of hospitality. This program not only broadens their career horizons but also equips them with the essential skills and networks needed to thrive in a competitive industry. By fostering a deeper understanding of hospitality, we are empowering the next generation of leaders to drive innovation and excellence in this vital sector," said Tristin Rainey, senior manager of learning and talent at TMCF.
Sands established the Sands Hospitality Immersion Program as part of the Sands Cares global community engagement program. It is one of the company's many education and workforce development initiatives, which include contributions to and partnerships with higher education institutions, funding for scholarship programs, on-property and industry-supported training opportunities for students and hospitality professionals, and mentorship and instruction from company leaders and experts.
"The Sands Hospitality Immersion Program advances two of our core initiatives – helping to build a highly skilled, diverse workforce in the hospitality industry and fostering opportunities and advancement for young people from traditionally underrepresented groups," said Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs, who spearheads corporate responsibility initiatives at Sands. "We hope this unique experience will inspire this talented group of students to consider the many opportunities the hospitality industry offers."
To learn more about the Sands Cares community engagement program and Sands' focus on developing the workforce of the future, visit https://www.sands.com/responsibility.
To learn more about Thurgood Marshall College Fund, visit https://www.tmcf.org/.
About Sands (NYSE: LVS)
Sands is the world's preeminent developer and operator of world-class integrated resorts. The company's iconic properties drive valuable leisure and business tourism and deliver significant economic benefits, sustained job creation, financial opportunities for local businesses, and community investment to help make its host regions ideal places to live, work and visit.
Sands' portfolio of properties includes Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and The Venetian Macao, The Plaza Macao, The Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao and Sands Macao in Macao SAR, China, through majority ownership in Sands China Ltd.
Dedicated to being a leader in corporate responsibility, Sands is anchored by the core tenets of serving people, communities and the planet. The company's ESG leadership has led to inclusion on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for World and North America, as well as Fortune's list of the World's Most Admired Companies. To learn more, visit www.sands.com.
About Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member schools include the publicly supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Community Colleges, and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending Black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit www.tmcf.org.
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SOURCE Las Vegas Sands Corp.