Where Tourism, Hospitality & event management can take you
A Major That Opens Doors
THEM prepares you for a fast‑growing global industry built on experiences, service, creativity, and leadership. From event planning and destination marketing to hospitality management and tourism development, this major opens doors to careers that will take you places.
Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management (THEM) puts you on a path toward careers that blend business, creativity, service, and strategy.
You might be drawn to event planning, hotel and resort management, theme park operations, destination marketing, sports and entertainment events, or sustainable tourism.
Or you may see yourself leading guest experiences, managing large‑scale venues, or designing events that bring communities together.
Whatever your direction, THEM gives you the industry knowledge, hands‑on experience, and professional network to get there. This is more than a major, it’s your launch point into one of the world’s most dynamic industries.
THEM Career Growth Projections
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects steady to strong growth across many careers connected to tourism, hospitality, travel, events, and experience-driven industries. As destinations, attractions, hotels, and event organizations continue expanding services and experiences, demand is growing for professionals who can design, manage, and deliver memorable guest experiences.
Students with a B.S. in Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management can pursue opportunities across travel, hospitality operations, nonprofits, destination marketing, attractions, events, and experience-based organizations. The percentages below reflect projected national growth rates from 2024 to 2034 according to the BLS.
- Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers: plan programs to generate interest in products or services
- 6% growth (faster than average)
- Entertainment and recreation managers: plan, direct, and coordinate activities and operations related to fitness and leisure
- 8% growth (much faster than average)
- Event and facility managers: plan, coordinate, and oversee conventions, festivals, events, and venue operations
4% growth (as fast as average) - Food service managers: responsible for the daily operation of restaurants or other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages
- 6% growth (faster than average)
- Lodging managers: ensure that guests have a pleasant experience at an accommodations facility. They also plan, direct, or coordinate activities to ensure that the facility is efficient and profitable.
- 3% growth (as fast as average)
- Meeting, convention, and event planners: arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings
- 5% growth (faster than average)
- Tour and travel guides: lead individuals or groups on excursion to various points of interest, including historical locations, museums, and monuments.
- 8% growth (much faster than average)
THEM Alumni Spotlights
THEM alumni are shaping the tourism, hospitality, and event industries at every level, leading hotel operations, managing theme park experiences, coordinating major events, promoting destinations, and driving guest satisfaction for top brands. Their stories show what’s possible when you combine industry knowledge with hands‑on experience. Explore where a THEM degree can take you, and imagine the path you’ll create next.
Designing World-Class Experiences for Global Leaders
Chynna Clayton (BSREC ’10)
As founder and CEO of Matriarch Made Development, Chynna Clayton helps organizations strengthen their administrative teams and streamline event operations. Before launching her firm, she served as director of travel and event operations for Barack and Michelle Obama and worked in high‑level roles at Disney and the White House. Her career demonstrates how a THEM degree can lead to elite opportunities in event logistics, executive operations, and experience design at the highest levels.
Creating Exceptional Guest Experiences in Hospitality
Elizabeth Kitzman (BSRPT ’94)
Elizabeth Kitzman has built a career turning events into unforgettable experiences. As Convention Services Manager at the Westin Tampa Bay, she coordinates conferences, meetings, and high‑profile stays, including an overnight visit from former President Barack Obama. Her passion for event management began at UF, where she discovered how creativity, logistics, and people skills come together to shape memorable moments. Today, she thrives in a fast‑paced industry where no two days are the same, guiding clients through the details that make their events shine. Her journey shows how THEM graduates can turn hands‑on experience and a love of service into a rewarding career in hospitality and events.
Leading Soldiers with Event-Management Precision
Captain Phillip G. Rendon (BSRPT ’16)
Captain Phillip Rendon uses the planning, operations, and teamwork skills he developed in UF’s event management program to lead more than 60 soldiers as a U.S. Army company commander in South Korea. From coordinating intelligence operations to managing large‑scale trainings, he applies the same strategic thinking he learned while organizing events at UF. His path shows how THEM graduates can take their project‑management and leadership skills anywhere — even into global military operations.
Leading National Hospitality Brands
Bob Schalow (BSREC ’94)
Bob Schalow began his hospitality career on campus at the Reitz Union Hotel and as a fraternity kitchen manager. Since graduating, he has spent more than two decades leading restaurant teams across the country for major brands like Taco Bell/Yum! Brands, Einstein Bros. Bagels, and Bruegger’s Bagels. Now vice president of franchise operations for Jack in the Box, he oversees locations across 22 states and Guam. Schalow also serves on the Eric Friedheim Tourism Advisory Board and supports THEM students through a family scholarship – showing how far a THEM degree can take you in hospitality leadership.
Managing Major Artists Across the Music Industry
Ross Schilling (BSR ’93)
Ross Schilling has built a career traveling the world with legendary artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kid Rock, Toto, and Hank Williams Jr. His journey began at UF, where he booked national acts through Student Government Productions and Gator Growl. After graduation, he joined the William Morris Agency and later moved into artist management, negotiating deals, overseeing tours, and guiding performers’ careers. Today, he manages Lynyrd Skynyrd and supports future THEM students through an internship endowment. His story shows how THEM can launch careers in entertainment, touring, and live event management.
Explore more alumni spotlights to see the diverse paths our graduates are taking and imagine where THEM could take you next.
Organizations Powered by THEM Grads
Graduates of the THEM program are making an impact across the travel, hospitality, and experience industries. They contribute to organizations connected to destinations, hotels and resorts, attractions, events, and tourism marketing, helping shape how people travel, gather, and celebrate around the world.
The organizations below reflect the reach and variety of the THEM alumni network. They represent just a sample of the many places where our graduates are helping design and deliver memorable experiences.
- Amazon
- American Airlines
- American Red Cross
- Atlantis Paradise Island | Bahamas Oceanside Resort
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection Florida Park Service
- HubSpot, Inc.
- International Spy Museum
- LEGOLAND® New York
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
- PGA Tour, Inc.
- Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
- South by Southwest (SXSW)
- SunFest
- Universal Music Group
- The Walt Disney Company
Guided By Leaders in the Field
THEM is supported by an Industry Advisory Board made up of professionals who lead in tourism, hospitality, events, entertainment, and destination marketing. These leaders provide insight, mentorship, and strategic guidance that help shape the student experience and keep the program aligned with real‑world needs. Their involvement ensures you’re learning skills that matter and preparing to become the next generation of industry‑ready professionals.
A Hub for Innovation in Experience Design
The Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute (EFTI) is home to research that explores how people travel, what shapes their experiences, and how destinations can thrive. As a THEM student, you’ll learn in an environment where discovery happens daily: from sustainable tourism and visitor behavior to event design and hospitality analytics. EFTI researchers are advancing knowledge that improves communities and strengthens the global tourism industry, and students gain hands‑on experience that prepares them for careers in tourism development, hospitality leadership, and event management.
Undergraduate Admission Information
Your Path to HHP