WCU Hospitality and Tourism Management Program

08/26/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Ethan Cheng on his election as Director of Industry Services for the Southeast Chapter of the Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (SECSA Federation of ICHRIE)!

This is a well-deserved recognition of Dr. Cheng's dedication to bridging academic research and industry practice in hospitality and tourism education. In this new role, he will help strengthen the vital connections between SECSA CHRIE and the industry partners who shape the next generation of hospitality leaders.

Wishing Dr. Cheng continued success as he takes on this important leadership position! 👏

🎉 Big congratulations to our newly elected board members! 🎉

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome these incredible leaders to our board:
• Director of Education: Dr. Soyoung Park 📚
• Director of Industry Services: Dr. Ethan Cheng 💼

Each of these leaders brings incredible expertise, passion, and vision to our community. We cannot wait to see the impact they will make in driving our mission forward and shaping our future.
Please join us in celebrating and giving a warm welcome to our new leadership team! 🥳👏

08/20/2026

🎉 Congratulations, Dr. Ethan Cheng! 🎉
Please join us in celebrating Dr. Ethan Cheng, who has been named one of the Global 100 Influential Educators in Hospitality for 2026 by the International Hospitality Institute!

This incredible honor reflects Dr. Cheng's dedication to excellence in teaching, his impact on students, and his contributions to advancing hospitality education globally. We are so proud to call him one of our own!

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Cheng on this well-deserved recognition.

Go Cats! 🐾

08/18/2026

Welcome back, Catamounts! Are you ready for the next adventure? We will offer a 6-credit faculty-led travel course (BA 493 + HT 493) in Summer 2027 to visit South Korea and Taiwan! Email the instructors for more information. Go Cats! 🐾 WCU College of Business WCU Global

05/25/2026

🎓 Congratulations to our incredible Class of 2026 HTM graduates!

We celebrate not just the degrees you've earned, but the passion, resilience, and warmth you've brought to every internship, every service encounter, and every moment in the classroom. 🐾

From front-of-house operations to back-of-house management, from event planning to sustainable tourism, you are stepping into an industry that thrives on human connection — and you are more than ready. 👏

We are so proud of each and every one of you. Go out there and show the world what exceptional hospitality looks like. Go Cats! ✨

05/07/2026

HT 436 Tourism Planning and Development - Social Media Marketing Project Presentations 🐾

05/07/2026

HT 438 Capstone - SWOT Analysis Group Presentations 🐾

05/05/2026

HT 436 Tourism Planning and Development - Travel Planning Project Presentations 🐾

05/04/2026

Proud moment for our HTM program! 🎉

On April 28 and 30, senior students in Dr. Ethan Cheng's HT 438 capstone course presented their projects to the leadership team of the Asheville Hotel Group. 🐾

Over the course of the capstone project, our senior students engaged with industry mentors, collected and analyzed data, and developed strategic recommendations. ✨

Our deepest gratitude goes to Asheville Hotel Group, its leadership, and every manager and mentor who invested their time and knowledge in our students. 💜

05/01/2026

On April 30, students in Dr. Ethan Cheng's HT335 Lodging and Resort Management class completed their Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) training and passed the CHIA exam. We could not be more thrilled for each and every one of them! Please join us in congratulating their incredible achievement. They are now CHIA-certified and business-ready students! Go Cats! 🎉

04/30/2026

Winners of best mixology project in HT 437
Congratulations! 😍👏