Department of Hospitality & Sport Business Management

Gain industry experience through undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs in the University of Delaware’s Department of Hospitality and Sport Business Management. Build expertise in hospitality and sport business while developing the analytical skills driving two of the world’s fastest-growing industries.

From our student-run restaurant and teaching hotel to analytics projects that solve real business challenges, our distinctive facilities and faculty expertise set Lerner apart.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Vita Nova
Chef and students at Vita Nova
Gain hands-on experience at Vita Nova, our top-rated student-run fine dining restaurant.
Marriott Center
The Marriott Center for Hospitality and Tourism combines coursework with experiential learning.
Study Abroad

Travel the world through Lerner study abroad opportunities like Australia or South Africa.

LEARN BY LEADING

Discover how hospitality students build the confidence and skills employers value. See how they turn classroom learning into real-world leadership at the Vita Nova restaurant.

FACULTY HIGHLIGHT

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, Professors John Allgood and Timothy DeSchriver explore how culture, media and consumer behavior shape the business of sports, turning today’s headlines into tomorrow’s classroom discussions.

Hospitality and Sport Business Management Advisory Board

Chair: Michele Metrinko-Rollins
Chair
Rollins Jamaica, Ltd.

Paul Altero ’96
Co-Founder/CEO
Bubbakoo’s Burritos

Robert Ashby ’77
President/Owner
Ashby Hospitality Group

Robert Buccini
Co-Founder and Co-President
Buccini/Pollin Group

Vince DiFonzo, CHA
President
TKo Hospitality

Jim Donofrio
Vice President, Strategic Partnerships
NBC Sports

Scott Ellman ’07
Director
Eastdil Secured

Patrick English
VP, Operations
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Allan Fernandes ’92
Vice President – Global Safety & Risk Control
Aramark

Plato Ghinos
President
Shaner Hotel Group

Jean Leahy Jakoby
VP Global Sales
Pepsi Co Foodservice

Paula Kelly ’92
General Manager
Merion Golf Club

David Lasus ’03
Chief Executive Officer
Heart + Paw

Alex Moeckel ’08
Regional Vice President – Luxury & Lifestyle Development
IHG Hotels & Resorts

Lisa Murray
Executive Vice President
Chief Marketing Officer, Octagon

Ajith Nayar, ’07
Co Founder and CEO
CamCom

Gary Price
Executive Vice President, Operations
Love’s Travel Stops

Prashanth Radhakrishnan
Vice President, Customer, Marketing & Digital Analytics
Marriott International

Richard Schneider
Chief Development Officer
Areas

Xavier Teixido ’03
President
Harry’s Hospitality Group

Gary Trenaman ’92
Vice President
Fox Sports

97%

of graduates of all hospitality and sport business management degree programs employed, 2025

#9

of 177 undergraduate hospitality programs, CollegeFactual

#12

of 112 undergraduate sport management programs, CollegeFactual

Recent Stories

Dan Alia Named 2026 Study Abroad Faculty Director of the Year

Lerner College Visiting Instructor Dan Alia recently earned the Study Abroad Faculty Director of the Year for Winter 2026 from the University of Delaware’s Center for Global Programs & Services. Last summer Alia received a call from Suresh Sundaram, a marketing...

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story written using portions of this UDaily article Lerner College graduate students Charles Walker and Joseph Mezzatesta are two of nine University of Delaware students who are recent recipients of the 2026-27 U.S. Fulbright Scholarship. Walker, a graduate student...

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