BRIG, Switzerland – The first class to complete a double bachelor’s degree program through a hospitality business partnership in Switzerland graduated this fall. Some of the 23 Washington State University graduates will head directly into the profession.
For example, Anna Trusen will receive a year of specialized training to become a supervisor at the Hyatt Regency Charles de Gaulle in Paris. She credits the WSU program’s International Recruitment Forum, a biannual career networking event, for her position as a corporate leadership trainee.
“I chose the double bachelor because it is the golden key that will open many doors in life,” said Nelly Pappas. “Two different schools, two different continents, two different cultures with many different ways of teaching is the best education you can get in this industry.”
Students gain a WSU hospitality business management degree on-site in Switzerland while also obtaining a César Ritz Colleges degree in international business in hotel and tourism management. Pappas said earning two degrees simultaneously is unique and will show future employers that she is goal oriented, self-disciplined, dedicated and adept at time management.
The program stems from a successful partnership established 30 years ago between WSU and César Ritz Colleges. Faculty deliver WSU curriculum via hybrid and on-site courses that focus on senior-level hospitality and business management topics.
César Ritz Colleges instructors bring a wealth of experience from many specialist areas of the tourism and hospitality sector, including five-star luxury hotel management, cruise ship operations, professional cuisine, human resources, marketing and environmental tourism.
The program’s accelerated design also offers an opportunity to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in four years.
To learn more about the program, visit http://business.wsu.edu/WSU-CR/.