USF’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management HospitaBull benefit dinner

HospitaBull, the elegant dining event organized, prepared and served by students to support scholarships and other programs in the University of South Florida’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management on the Sarasota-Manatee campus, is scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at the Art Ovation Hotel, 1255 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota.

HospitaBull, which was created in spring 2011, allows students to connect traditional classroom theory with real-life food and beverage operations, said Cihan Cobanoglu, dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

And as the major fund-raising event for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the event also “enables our students to do things that otherwise would not be possible.” Cobanoglu said.

Students and faculty work closely with hotel staff to plan and execute the evening. As the event unfolds, students in the kitchen help prepare and plate dishes while others tend to the dining room. HospitaBull regularly unites a who’s who of hotel and restaurant executives with academia.

“We hope to deliver a memorable dining experience for our guests alongside some true professionals,” said Joe Askren, a professor of instruction in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. “Our partnership with the Art Ovation is fantastic and certainly benefits both industry and academia.”

HospitaBull, “is a testament to our students and faculty but more than anything else, to our loyal and growing supporters in the community,” Askren said. “This event makes a difference in our ability to provide the best education for future hospitality leaders in the industry. It supports student scholarships, as well as student and faculty development, and it gives us the teaching and learning tools necessary to help our students succeed.”

Visit the USF Foundation's website for tickets and details.