Penn State Students Heading "Down Under" For Olympics And Real-Word Experiences With Aramark
University Park, Pa. – More than 65 students in Penn State’s Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management program will get academic credits and real-world experience at the 2000 Olympic Games,

The students will work with ARAMARK--the $7 billion world-leader in managed services--and its Australian partner, Spotless Services, Ltd., to prepare meals for 10,300 athletes from more than 200 countries; 8,000 coaches and staff; 5,100 officials; and 5,000 international media representatives.

"We are looking forward to working with ARAMARK as it provides food and service to the Olympic and Media villages. This experience will be extremely beneficial to our students," says Dr. Fred DeMicco, professor-in-charge of Penn State's Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management program,

The HR&IM students will work side-by-side with ARAMARK professionals. Among its responsibilities, ARAMARK will develop operating plans; design menus; develop and implement appropriate food and safety guidelines; establish and maintain all necessary IT and office management systems; manage the loading dock and goods receipt process; coordinate activities with additional supplies; and develop an environment and waste management plan.

"Our graduates are the future leaders in the hospitality industry. This is an opportunity for them to learn from a team of experienced professionals during the largest Olympic project to date," says DeMicco.

Penn State’s HR&IM program is ranked as one of the top five programs of its kind in the nation, and helps prepare students for management careers in hotels, restaurants, resorts, convention centers, health care and corporate dining facilities, educational institutions, and other settings.  The nearly 500 undergraduate students enrolled in the program also earn 1,000 hours of work experience.  The employment rate for Penn State's HR&IM graduates is nearly 100 percent.

The internship in the Olympic Village is all part of the University’s Sydney2000 program. Sponsored by Penn State's University Office of International Programs and the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Recreation Management in the College of Health and Human Development, in partnership with the University of New South Wales, this intensive program gives students the chance to earn twelve academic credits and participate in an internship in the Olympic Village in Australia.

Sydney2000 comprises four courses. A course on Australian history and culture begins the academic program in Sydney. DeMicco will teach an organizational management course. Penn State instructor Dr. John Keller, a former American diplomat who served in Australia, will teach a business communication course with an international focus. A fourth three-credit course--held in the scenic city of Cairns along the Great Barrier Reef--will explore the relationship between tourism and the environment.

The Sydney2000 program runs between August 23, 2000 and October 22, 2000.

Editors: If you need any assistance, contact Steven Infanti at 814-863-4325. For information on the program, visit the Sydney2000 page on the web at http://www.international.psu.edu/ieps/sydney.html.