PHILIPSBURG – Just before University of St. Martin’s (USM) Hospitality Management students left for their international trip to the Netherlands, on Friday, April 7, the students received a generous donation from the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA).
“The timing could not have been better,” stated Erwin Wolthuis, Head of the Hospitality Division. “Our students worked really hard to raise the necessary funds for this international trip, but all their efforts were not enough to fully cover all the costs. However, with this generous sponsoring of PJIA we could make the trip affordable for all involved.”
During their educational trip to the Netherlands, the students not only visited some of the touristic highlights of the Netherlands, but they also paid a visit to the St. Maarten house in The Hague. Next to that, both the Hotelschool The Hague, as well as the Hospitality Management program of Stenden University, Leeuwarden were part of the program. For both programs, USM’s BTEC-accredited Hospitality Management students qualify for enrolment via the international fast-track Bachelor’s programs.
The international trip is an integral part of the accredited Hospitality Management program, and is scheduled at the end of 3-month internship that the students have just finalized. In June, the first cohort will graduate with their Associate of Arts and (British) HNC in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
“It was really great to visit these Dutch Hotel schools,” said Wolthuis. “Especially, since now that our program is accredited and valued as a level 5 program, our graduates cannot only seamlessly transfer into the third year of American Universities like Monroe College, NY and Johnson and Wales University, but as of now the same applies for the Dutch HBO hospitality programs.”
For more information on studying Hospitality Management at USM, contact Admissions at phone: 542-5171 or send an email to admissions@usm.sx.
