Latest news with #PaulBonnette
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gulf Coast State College offers new scholarships for hospitality students
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Paul Bonnette is an advisor for the Hospitality Management and Tourism program at Gulf Coast State College. He teaches real–world–based classes, with field trips, speakers, and interactive classes to engage his students. 'We are fortunate to have people from Gulf Coast Jam come out and talk about what it takes to put on the amazing festival that it is. We work with, you know, other places like Swampy Jack Wanna Go Adventure. We've done field trips about hospitality marketing, like how do you market a attraction like that, you know, and we work with places like, you know, Pirate's Voyage and so many other great community, you know, places that really kind of show the student, hey, look, hospitality is a ever growing, ever expanding field,' Katherine Griffin Bootwright Endowed Chair for Hospitality Management & Tourism Paul Bonnette said. Tourism hospitality is Bay County's and Florida's number one economic driver. The people behind the scenes play a vital role in the industry. Students learn how to impact a visitor's experience, one guest at a time. 'So many families come year after year, they stay at the same place, they eat at the same restaurants. They go to the same attractions because this is something that's special for them. And so we really want to show the students, this is what you're doing is helping families make memories that are going to last a lifetime,' Bonnette said. Julie Hilton donated $2.5 million to help expand the hospitality program. That donation included funding for new scholarships, so that getting an education doesn't have to be expensive. There are two $500 scholarships currently available. 'We have Hospitality Rockstar scholarships. These are for the students who are just coming out of high school, and they're interested in hospitality. They're interested in what Bay County is all about, with providing exceptional experiences. And then we have Hospitality Heroes. These are for the people who are already working in the hospitality industry. They're going in day after day, making these magical memories, but they want to enhance their skills,' Bonnette said. Each hospitality student is required to complete an internship over the summer, working with hospitality partners like the St. Joe Company, Oto Development, Hilton Sun, and Dee's Hangout. Registration for Gulf Coast State College's fall semester is open. For more information on the Hospitality Management and Tourism program, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gulf Coast State College introduces new hospitality scholarships
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) launches two new scholarships through its Hilton Hospitality Management and Tourism Program. GCSC officials said the college plans to use these scholarships to ease students' journeys into one of the most people-centered industries: hospitality. 'Hospitality is a huge industry with local and global potential. We want to help more students see it as a real career option, and give them the support to get started,' Katherine Griffin Boatwright Endowed Chair for Hospitality Management & Tourism at GCSC, Paul Bonnette, said. Students can qualify in two ways. The Hospitality Rockstars Scholarship is for high school graduates pursuing a degree in hospitality, and the Hospitality Heroes Scholarship is for current hospitality workers or GCSC students building on their experience. Each scholarship offers $500 per semester, gifted from Ms. Julie Hilton and the Hilton family, to help with tuition costs. They require six credit hours a semester for eligibility. These awards can be used alongside other financial aid, such as the Gulf Coast Guarantee and other scholarships. Click here to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
