Hospitality and Event Planning Academy

This program introduces students to the worlds of hospitality management and large-scale event planning, using Los Angeles and the 2028 Olympics as a backdrop. Throughout the course, students will learn the fundamentals of world-class hospitality, exploring how luxury hotels deliver exceptional guest experiences, how top restaurants manage service and operations, and what it means to anticipate and exceed guest expectations across cultures. In parallel, they will explore mega-event production: volunteer coordination, logistics planning, venue operations, and the systems required to execute events serving millions of people. Students will examine where these industries intersect—how the largest events in the world apply hospitality principles at extraordinary scale, and how hotels and restaurants adapt when a mega-event comes to town. Through field trips to venues like the Rose Bowl, LA Convention Center, and major hotels, students will see these principles in action. By completing this program, students will have a foundation for future studies in hotel management, restaurant operations, event planning, or tourism, and will be well-prepared to apply for volunteer positions with LA 2028 and other major events.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able:

• Demonstrate foundational knowledge of hotel operations including front office management, guest services, and anticipating guest expectations across diverse cultures.
• Understand restaurant and food service operations, including service standards, kitchen coordination, and managing quality under high-volume conditions.
• Develop event planning competencies including venue logistics, volunteer management, risk assessment, and crowd management for large-scale gatherings.
• Analyze how mega-events apply hospitality principles at scale and how hospitality operations adapt during peak-demand periods.

Possible Field Trips

• Rose Bowl Stadium - Large-scale event operations and volunteer coordination during major events 
• Los Angeles Convention Center - Multi-event facility management and logistics planning systems 
• Hollywood Bowl - Seasonal event programming, volunteer management, and guest experience design
• Staples Center/Crypto.com Arena - High-capacity venue operations and emergency response protocols 
• Wolfgang Puck Catering or major event catering company - Large-scale food service and kitchen operations

Information subject to change as instructors finalize course syllabi