HBCU Students Entrench in Travel and Tourism Through the Sands Hospitality Immersion Program

In early June, Sands welcomed 15 students from 13 historically Black colleges and universities to Las Vegas for a weeklong immersion in the many facets of the hospitality industry – from events, entertainment, gaming and culinary operations to the wide variety of professional services career tracks the field offers.

Held in conjunction with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the only national organization exclusively representing the Black college community, the Sands Hospitality Immersion Program encourages interest in travel, tourism and leisure careers by exposing students to the inner workings of the Las Vegas hospitality industry.

“Being part of the Sands Hospitality Immersion Program gave me more insight to know what goes into hospitality,” Jazmen Wilkerson, a senior at Morgan State University, said. “You have events, you have entertainment, you have gaming. Aside from those, I’ve never even thought about what hospitality could have or what it showed. I’m thankful to TMCF and Sands for bringing a diverse group of HBCU students with different backgrounds into the hospitality program, because just being around so many diverse students, I was able to learn myself.”

From June 2-6, students participated in daily learning opportunities spanning in-depth guest lecture sessions, presentations by industry thought leaders, exclusive tours of hospitality venues, and interactive, hands-on gaming and food preparation experiences, all curated by the Harrah College of Hospitality’s Sands Center for Professional Development at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

“It’s been a really great experience to learn about what these opportunities look like, whether it’s within premium sports services, which I didn’t even know existed, or learning about the culinary side – what that looks like, how people transition into that, the career ladder …” Celine Trombi, a rising senior at Delaware State University, said. “Being able to be here with Sands, I was able to learn more about how sustainability is integrated with hospitality and what that can look like as a career for myself.”

The week’s robust schedule kicked off with a half-day session featuring Bobbie Barnes, Ph.D., UNLV Harrah College of Hospitality, who introduced students to the industry, followed by a session with Claytee D. White, director of the Oral History Research Center at UNLV Libraries, who shared background on Las Vegas and the industry’s roots in the city.

“The Sands Hospitality Immersion Program is different than other recruitment offerings as it provides a holistic approach, educating and introducing students to the art, business and science of hospitality,” Barnes said. “Informative sessions on hospitality segments with UNLV faculty are combined with city-wide tours where students can engage, ask questions and discuss key concepts with industry professionals. This combination enables students to explore our industry and get excited about career opportunities that correlate with their interests.”

Other components focused on different aspects of hospitality, including an events and entertainment session led by Shirley Fugazzotto, a Las Vegas event planning and entertainment management professional.

Students also visited the Konami Gaming Lab at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute to see its state-of-the-art casino lab and casino surveillance room and learned about the casino and gaming business from industry veteran Vince Eade.

A food and beverage session led by chef Murray Mackenzie, Ph.D. of UNLV, culminated with a Team Chopped Competition alongside professional chefs at UNLV’s Hospitality Hall.

“My favorite part of the whole program was definitely meeting industry leaders in entertainment and events as well as casino management, along with the tour of the Las Vegas Raiders headquarters,” Zion Simmons, a recent graduate of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, said. “I’m truly humbled and blessed to have this opportunity to be able to connect with everyone from across the world, and I will never forget this experience.”

The week culminated with a visit to Sands’ headquarters to hear from company leaders in various professional services areas such as sustainability, cybersecurity, procurement, human resources and finance to learn about these tracks in hospitality, followed by a certificate ceremony honoring students’ work in the program.

“Our partnership with Sands shows what happens when education, industry and mission align,” Dr. Harry L. Williams, president and CEO at TMCF, said. “This program isn’t just about exposure, it’s a transformative experience. Our students envision themselves as leaders in hospitality while gaining confidence and executive presence.”

The Sands Hospitality Immersion Program is part of Sands commitment to investing in workforce development and building hospitality industry excellence in its regions around the world. The company’s other hospitality education initiatives include scholarship programs, internships, mentorship by Sands Team Members and on-property programs to attract diverse talent to the industry and build capabilities for successful careers in the field.

To learn more about Sands’ workforce development and hospitality education programs, read the company’s latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/

To learn more about Thurgood Marshall College Fund, visit https://www.tmcf.org/.