Our department has evolved through the hard work of dedicated educators, which began in 1962 with Myrtle V. Caudell, a pioneer in education from the Normal School. Our roots were in home economics, nutrition and food science, environmental and consumer studies, human development, and family and community relations.
This foundation would spur the growth of applied programs in hotel and restaurant management, culinary arts and travel and tourism over a 30-year period.
At the same time, a minor for hospitality was sought and approved.
The Statler Foundation awarded Buffalo State a grant to establish a program for Minority Career Development in Hotel Management.
On February 9, 2017, Governor Cuomo announced the completion of $27.6 million in Caudell Hall renovations which were combined with one of the largest and most substantial gifts from the Statler Foundation. A signature space that supports the departments of Hospitality and Tourism; Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics; Social Work; and Speech-Language Pathology was created.
Caudell Hall features a new two-story main entrance, and the stunning Russell J. Salvatore Demonstration Kitchen and culinary theatre which is now accessible from an expansive lobby. Architectural changes in the original floor plan resulted in expansion of the culinary, baking, and food labs on the first and second floors, updated elevators, rest rooms, and conference spaces which are inspiring all students and business and industry to collaborate with us in new initiatives.
In 2019, a partnership was solidified with a global leader and manufacturer of food products for training and development of chefs in Caudell Hall culinary labs.
And for the first time in our history, the department hosted one of the world’s leading sustainable seafood experts and educators, on stage to bring his message of enlightenment to the Buffalo State College campus community.
One of the college's five original buildings, Campus House, became the perfect location to create a “hands-on” laboratory for Buffalo State’s hospitality program. The substantial SUNY investment resulted in a dynamic teaching-and-research laboratory and opened in 2002. Faculty, staff, alumni, retired, and friends of the college would now have access to spaces for dining, networking, meeting, and special occasions and cement collegial relationships while students practice 21st century skills and gain industry specific knowledge. The student chapter of Club Management Association of America was formed.
The department’s outreach to alumni professionals was formally established in 2004. The current list consists of over 150 alumni with leadership positions in a wide range of hospitality sectors and supporting industries.
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