Preparing students for their careers as hospitality professionals takes a combination of classroom and hands-on learning. After all, people learn best through repeated experiences.
This real-world, immersive learning and development process is sometimes called “experiential learning”—an approach that puts learners in the heart of the action and equips them with practical skills and insights that can’t be gained from lectures and classes alone.
“As leaders in the hospitality industry, we look for ways to mentor and develop the next generation of talent who may choose to continue their careers with us after graduation,” said Jennifer Radice, Vice President of Human Resources, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality. “In addition, many of our college and university clients offer hospitality programs and degrees, so partnering with them on experiential learning programs for students is a natural fit.”
From internships and externships—to hiring student managers and offering advanced leadership development programs—Aramark Collegiate Hospitality offers a range of work-based learning opportunities that are constantly evolving to meet current research and best practices.
Below are two examples of experiential learning in practice.
Launching Careers at JMU
The Aramark Collegiate Hospitality team at James Madison University (JMU) in Virginia oversees several work-based learning experiences.
The team partners with the JMU Hart School’s Hospitality Management Program to facilitate an externship program for 50-70 students each semester. The program, called HM222, has continued to grow in participation each year.
This work-based, paid externship program provides students (primarily juniors and seniors) with 100+ hours of hands-on hospitality management exposure, providing experience in a variety of jobs and tasks while supporting their pursuit of industry certification credentials such as ServSafe® and TIPS®.
“Our externship program is structured to provide exposure to all aspects of our hospitality program and includes a performance evaluation process, along with one-on-one coaching with leaders experienced in the hospitality industry,” said Brent Beringer, Resident District Manager, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality (JMU Dining). “We want our externs to have explored and been trained in multiple facets of our business but, more importantly, understand their value—as well as build the resilience needed for a successful career in the hospitality industry.”
One Student’s Journey
One HM222 extern has used the experience to catapult an entirely new path forward.
“It was neat to see how the material learned in HM222 paired well with the values at Aramark,” said JMU student Kathryn Manico. “I spent my time … learning proper food safety procedures and customer service when serving food.”
Kathryn enjoyed the experience so much she signed up for and was selected to become an extern advisor, guiding incoming students to help them get the most from their externships. After that, she started working with JMU Dining as a student recruiter.
“I love sharing my journey into my current position as I represent how Aramark rewards current employees with internal promotions and strengths and skills along the way. I am so proud of what I have already accomplished and know I can do more with the support of my team,” she said.
More JMU Learning Experiences
In addition to externships, each semester more than 20 student managers, including two student General Managers, oversee almost 600 student associates who work in the JMU dining halls, retail food and market operations across campus, and catering services. The student managers are enrolled in training created specifically for them.
The Aramark Collegiate Hospitality team at JMU also employs and guides anywhere from 10 to 15 interns each year. These non-credit, paid internships provide experience, insights, and networking and mentorship opportunities in the areas of marketing, health and wellness, human resources, and accounting.
Recent Recognition
In April 2024, the Aramark team at JMU received the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Top Employer for Interns award.
Hospitality and Sustainability at UCI
At the University of California – Irvine (UCI), Aramark Collegiate Hospitality offers experiential learning experiences for students in several ways.
The team works with UCI’s School of Social Ecology and Campus as a Living Lab to provide two different sustainability internships in support of UCI Dining’s environmental sustainability efforts.
“We have a strong commitment to sustainability across Aramark and at UCI. Those commitments include tracking and analyzing efforts to ensure we are meeting our shared goals,” said Sean Tedder, Resident District Manager, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality (UCI Dining). “The interns work with our team members to gain hands-on experience in a range of important sustainability actions related to hospitality and food service.”
Currently, there are six Social Ecology interns, a quarterly position, and three Campus as a Living Lab interns, a year-long position open to students pursuing a minor in Global Sustainability.
The number varies from quarter to quarter and year to year and students receive class credit for both.
Sustainability in Practice: Intern Stories
“I chose to complete my internship with UCI Dining because I care deeply about food insecurity and poverty across the world,” said John Suh, a UCI spring quarter Green Captain. “This in-person experience will allow me to gain an understanding of how I could personally help reduce food waste on our campus.”
“I became interested in this internship opportunity when I visited one of the UCI Dining sustainability events that focused on minimizing food waste within our dining halls,” said Marissa Trujillo, another spring quarter Green Captain. “I knew I wanted to help inspire others to lead more sustainable lives. I look forward to working with my fellow Green Captain interns and meeting new students all around campus to teach them the importance of sustainable dining practices.”
Find out some of the ways UCI Dining leads sustainability efforts across campus.
Other On-the-Job Learning Opportunities at UCI
UCI Dining hires hundreds of students, including more than 50 student managers, who support retail, residential, catering, and concessions across the campus.
The team also hires marketing and graphic design associates through the university. Students receive valuable knowledge and hands-on experience to enhance their studies and career pursuits.
More About Aramark Experiential Learning
Find out about other ways Aramark helps engage and advance the careers of early talent.
