Intensive experience in Las
Vegas for 12 select Historically Black College and
University students July 24-28 aims to create pathways
to careers in hospitality and tourism.
LAS
VEGAS, July 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Las Vegas
Sands (NYSE: LVS) and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
(TMCF) today announced 12 college students will participate in the
inaugural Sands Hospitality Immersion Program, July 24-28 in Las
Vegas. The intensive experience is designed to encourage
interest in travel, tourism and leisure by exposing students to the
inner workings of the Las Vegas
hospitality industry.
Sands and TMCF, the only national organization exclusively
representing the Black college community, established the Sands
Hospitality Immersion Program to provide students at Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with a deep introduction to
the travel, tourism and leisure industry and its wide range of
professional positions, aiming to inspire them to consider one of
the world's fastest-growing and largest employment fields.
The 12 students selected for the exclusive summer program are
all rising junior and senior college students at TMCF member
schools and were chosen from a pool of candidates who applied
through TMCF and were reviewed by Sands. Participants include
Ta'Niyah Harris, Bowie State
University; Erin Williams,
Howard University; Jaida Robinson-Clark, Howard University; Jasmyn
Love, Howard University;
Joshua Williamson, Howard University; Nathanael Edwards, Langston
University; Zay'Kori Jones, Norfolk
State University; Brandon
Smith, North Carolina A&T State
University; Derrick Jacobs,
North Carolina A&T State
University; Joleen Buchanan,
University of the Virgin Islands;
Kayla Smith, Virginia State University; and Marquis Bell, Virginia
State University.
"As a first-generation college student, my career has always
been the light at the end of the tunnel while at Howard University," said Jaida Robinson-Clark, a rising junior at
Howard University. "My participation in
the Sands Hospitality Immersion is a glimpse into a promising
industry where I could pursue my interest and learn about the many
opportunities that may lie ahead. Considering how many applied to
attend, this excites me, and I am grateful to have been
selected."
The multi-day experience curated by the William F. Harrah
College of Hospitality at the University of
Nevada, Las Vegas will feature in-depth seminars, tours of
integrated resorts with back-of-house access, visits to other types
of hospitality venues, presentations by experts in various
disciplines and interactive events such as a cooking competition
with professional chefs.
"We are thrilled to partner with Sands on this tremendous
immersion opportunity in Las
Vegas," said Dr. Harry
Williams, president and CEO of Thurgood Marshall College
Fund. "Creating these unique experiences for our students is at the
core of our mission. The hospitality field is one of the fastest
growing in America, and this strategic partnership allows TMCF to
provide our talented students with a chance to learn more about the
various careers in this important industry."
The travel, tourism and leisure industry continues to experience
tremendous job growth and encompasses a wide range of professional
positions. Beyond traditional hospitality tracks in hotel
operations or restaurant, meetings and venue management, the
industry offers career opportunities in finance, marketing, sales,
human resources, information technology, legal and other
professional service fields.
"I want to thank Sands and Thurgood Marshall College Fund for
their critical investment in building a pathway that develops and
showcases the talented students who attend HBCUs," said
Brandon Smith, a rising senior at
North Carolina A&T State. "As I
embark on this immersion experience, I look forward to
professionally fostering relationships within the industry and
absorbing significant insight regarding the trajectory and
landscape of the hospitality, tourism and entertainment industry
internationally."
The Sands Hospitality Immersion Program was established through
the Sands Cares global community engagement program and 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.
"Our goal for this program is twofold: to encourage the best and
brightest students in all disciplines to consider hospitality as a
career path and to ensure our industry cultivates a diverse and
inclusive workforce that provides opportunities for people from all
backgrounds and communities," said Ron
Reese, senior vice president of global communications and
corporate affairs, who spearheads corporate responsibility
initiatives at Sands. "This program is a foundation from which we
plan to introduce other unique educational opportunities for HBCU
students to experience our global destinations and gain even more
perspective into the industry. We look forward to hosting this
talented group of students."
About Sands (NYSE: LVS)
Sands is the world's
preeminent developer and operator of world-class integrated
resorts. Our 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 our 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
and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, The Londoner Macao, The Parisian
Macao and Sands Macao in Macao
SAR, China, through majority
ownership in Sands China Ltd.
Sands is dedicated to being a leader in corporate
responsibility, anchored by the core tenets of serving people,
planet and communities. Our ESG leadership has led to inclusion on
the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for World and North America. 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 publicly supported
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and
Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) which enroll over 80% of
all students attending HBCUs. TMCF provides access to higher
education through scholarships and financial support and prepares
HBCU students to succeed in economically sustainable careers. These
programs are particularly critical since over 75% of HBCU students
are low-income, with 97% relying on financial aid – and over half
are the first in their families to attend college. TMCF is a
501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information
about TMCF, visit: tmcf.org.
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SOURCE Las Vegas Sands