Released October 9, 2009

Upcoming information sessions highlight six new degree options from baking and pastries to casino management

(Columbia, MD) - Howard Community College (HCC) has received approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) to add six new options to the Hospitality and Culinary Management degree program:  Casino Management, Food and Beverage Management, Lodging Management.  Professional Baking and Pastries, Professional Cooking, and Professional Cooking and Baking (dual option). 

HCC is providing high-quality, hands-on learning in these specialized areas in response to industry and economic trends in the region.  The degree options will take effect with the spring 2010 semester.  New course offerings for hospitality students include casino management, casino organization and culture, casino marketing, and casino surveillance operations, as well as classes in housekeeping operations, and the fundamentals of wine, spirits, and beer.  Culinary students can hone their skills with new courses in international cuisine, international breads, baking and pastry showpieces, as well as cake decorating and candy making.

In addition to providing hands-on experience in an on-campus kitchen and opportunities for internships, competitions, and study abroad, HCC has developed articulation agreements with several top colleges, universities and renowned culinary institutions. Of the hundreds of students that have enrolled in the seven year-old program directed by Vinnie Rege, many have directly entered or advanced in the region’s dynamic hospitality/tourism workforce, while others successfully continued their education to earn advanced credentials. 

HCC is hosting free information sessions on both the industry and their hospitality and culinary program options as follows: Saturdays, November 7, 2009 and January 9, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Both sessions will be held in the Science & Tech Building (Rooms ST-035 & 040).

For more information about the sessions or the program or to register, call Vinnie Rege at 443-518-4469 or email vrege@howardcc.edu or visit www.howardcc.edu/hospitality.

About HCC
Howard Community College (HCC) is a publicly funded two-year community college serving the educational needs of the citizens and employers in Howard County, Maryland since 1970. With its slogan, “You Can Get There from Here,” the college has forged a variety of partnerships to offer career and transfer programs to over 28,000 students annually at its main campus in Columbia, the Ecker Business Training Center, Laurel College Center, and the historic Belmont Conference Center. Located midway between two major metropolitan areas, Washington DC and Baltimore, MD, Howard Community College is an affordable, community-based institution that has long been recognized for its ability to inspire learning, and the lifelong pursuit of personal and professional goals. Among its many awards is the prestigious U.S. Senate Productivity Award for organizational performance excellence.