Cornelliana A Century of Hospitality Education on the Hill, in Photos Stories You May Like 100 Years of Hospitality Education on the Hill: Fascinating Facts New Hotel at Cornell Tech Boasts Breathtaking Views and Big Red Touches How’s the Hospitality Industry Doing? A Hotelie Weighs In A permanent exhibit of images—recent and vintage—in Statler Hall celebrates the school’s first 100 years This story was condensed from a feature in the Cornell Chronicle. By Alison Fromme A new exhibit in Statler Hall commemorates 100 years of hospitality education at the Nolan School of Hotel Administration in the SC Johnson College of Business. Dozens of photos illustrate the school’s culture and storied timeline. The completion of the multifaceted exhibit in August capped a series of celebratory 100th anniversary events and initiatives. The images are a permanent addition to the school's hallways. “The exhibit as a whole is a beautiful reminder that our school’s energy and enthusiasm today is built on a century of hospitality leadership—and it showcases our truly welcoming community,” says Kate Walsh, MPS ’90, dean of the Nolan Hotel School and E.M. Statler Professor. Set in the heart of Statler Hall, amid crowds of students hustling up and down the central staircase, the exhibit brings to life E.M. Statler’s sentiment: “Life is service—the one who progresses is the one who gives … a little more—a little better service.” The former entrance along East Avenue, familiar to generations of Hotelies, before Statler Tower was added. It also reflects the school’s ethos to use hospitality to make positive change in the world. Entering Statler Hall from the east, students, faculty, alumni, and visitors are greeted by colorful large-format images mounted high in the two-story lobby, on a backdrop of subtle sweeping infinity symbols. Upstairs in the student services office hallway, viewers first encounter a photo of a classic table setting—a metaphor representing their place at the Nolan Hotel School, whether as students in a finance class, alumni returning to serve on advisory committees, or corporate partners supporting new initiatives. Images that follow mark important milestones—from the school’s establishment as the world’s first institution for hospitality management education to its industry leadership that shapes the global hospitality landscape. Stories You May Like 100 Years of Hospitality Education on the Hill: Fascinating Facts New Hotel at Cornell Tech Boasts Breathtaking Views and Big Red Touches “Over the last century, the school has defined the concept of hospitality education,” Walsh says. The exhibit as a whole is a beautiful reminder that our school’s energy and enthusiasm today is built on a century of hospitality leadership. Kate Walsh, MPS ’90, dean of the Nolan Hotel School In the 1920s, for example, the school’s founding dean, Howard Bagnall Meek, worked hard to convince his peers that hoteliers belonged in academia. By the 1970s, the school had launched the first academic journal devoted to hospitality; its first graduate program; and its one-of-a-kind teaching hotel. “Today,” Walsh says, “our graduates are leading the way in a wide range of service-focused businesses, from technology to real estate.” The Nolan School gathers for the 2023 Commencement procession.A new computer lab in 1983 heralded a curriculum expansion.Vance Christian ’61, MS ’65, was the first to teach Intro to Wines as a universitywide course.The first Hotel Ezra Cornell, 1926.Hotel Ezra Cornell marked its 98th year in April 2023.Founding Dean Howard Bagnall Meek surveys a model of Statler Hall in 1947.Students in the Marriott Executive Education Center, 2012.First day of classes, 1922. The school’s student body outside Bailey Hall, 1939.Alice Statler helps lay the cornerstone for Statler Hall in 1949. The Statler Hotel and Marriott Executive Education Center’s grand opening, 1989.Meek with the 1955 graduating class.The Beck Center was added in 2004.A hopeful message lit up windows during the pandemic.Statler Tower, seen here in 2023, was added in 2009.The new entrance canopy, 2022.E.M. Statler’s sentiment underlies the exhibit—and the school’s ethos. The exhibit continues to the west of Statler Auditorium, with contemporary images of red and white balloons that inspire celebration. The “Hotelie” community’s personality shines through in photos of student work sessions, business plan competition winners, treks to corporate sites, and more. Says Walsh: “The entire exhibit serves as an important focal point for visitors, but more importantly, it honors our legacy of excellence as we begin our next century of preparing tomorrow’s industry leaders.” Top: Students took early hospitality classes even before the department’s founding in 1922. All photos provided by the Nolan School of Hotel Administration and Rare and Manuscript Collections unless otherwise indicated. Published October 20, 2023 Comments Stephen H Goldberger, Class of 1969 14 Nov, 2023 My most vivid memory of the events of 1969 is watching a man grab President Perkins by the collar from behind before he could address the audience at Alice Statler Hall on the subject of divestment from apartheid South Africa. There was a row of students in the front of the auditorium with large Conga drums, which they began to beat loudly and there was shouting in the room. It was shockingly chaotic and I headed for the exit, not sure what was about to happen. I don’t think the program ever continued on that day. It was close to the time of the occupation of the Straight and the cross burning of a cross on the lawn of the Ujamaa House. Exciting times. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. 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