Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A newsletter for faculty, staff and students

September-October 2005 • Vol. 31, No. 5

Hospitality students part of Carnall Inn atmosphere

Part of the atmosphere for guests of the Inn at Carnall Hall on the University of Arkansas campus is seeing students with backpacks on their way to and from classes in the Inn.

CARNALL HALL CONNECTION — Bethany Capps, left, a graduate of the University of Arkansas’ hospitality and restaurant management program, is now in charge of catering and special events for the Inn at Carnall Hall. Dr. Christina Chi, a new faculty member with an office in Carnall Hall poses with student workers Ty Mayhan and Rachel Frisby.

The Inn includes a classroom and two faculty offices for the University’s hospitality and restaurant management emphasis within the foods, human nutrition and hospitality major in the School of Human Environmental Sciences.

Two $1,000 scholarships were presented Sept. 17 to hospitality program students Amber Warman of Mt. Ida and Amanda Lau of North Little Rock during a program marking the 100th anniversary of construction of Carnall Hall as a women's dormitory.

The first recipient of the Carnall Hall Alumnae Scholarship, Bethany (Runyan) Capps, is now in charge of catering and special events for the Inn.

Enrollment has more than doubled to about 70 students since the hospitality program was linked to the Inn at Carnall Hall, which opened in August 2003, said Mary Warnock, director of the School of Human Environmental Sciences.

“Our relationship with the Inn as a learning laboratory has greatly increased our visibility and recognition,” Dr. Warnock said.

The Inn and Ella’s Restaurant, along with the Chartwell’s campus food service company, provide a variety of learning laboratory experiences structured by faculty members Janet Noble, Allen Powell and Christina Chi.

Dr. Noble, who started the program with about 10 students in 1993, said hands-on learning is the rule. Classes include frequent visits and demonstrations by guest speakers such as Ella’s Executive Chef Matt DeFord and hotel manager Jason Reddcliff. Students are required to have 1,000 hours of work experience to graduate.

Powell and six students spent three weeks this summer living and attending classes at the Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs. He is working to make similar experiences, such as a cruise ship course, a regular part of the program in addition to weekend field trips.

Students have the opportunity to spend a semester in Edinburgh, Scotland, in Napier University’s hospitality and tourism management program.

Dr. Chi, who joined the faculty this fall, has a Ph.D. in hospitality management from Oklahoma State University. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Guang Dong University in Canton, China, and was a tour operator for a travel agency in China.

Dr. Chi said she will help expand course offerings in hotel management, resort management, and travel and tourism.