Academics
About HEC
Hotel Ezra Cornell (HEC) is a student-run hospitality conference that has been an 83-year tradition at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. The three-day conference provides Hotel School students the opportunity to educate and entertain industry professionals while showcasing what they have learned in the classroom. The mission of Hotel Ezra Cornell is “Showcasing Hospitality Education Through Student Leadership.”
But HEC is not just a conference hosted by the students. It’s also a year-long class for the sixteen students who make up the HEC Board of Directors. These students have come up through the ranks of the organization typically first getting involved with HEC by joining a team in a specific area (for example, culinary, front-of-house, guest service, guest experience, educational program, design, marketing, PR, HR, procurement, and so on). This provides exposure to the planning process and contributes to staffing for the weekend. Students also have the opportunity to get involved with HEC at a managerial level by interviewing for function manager or board assistant positions; over 70 students are involved with HEC in this capacity each year. See Student Participation.
Hotel Ezra Cornell is a year-round organization which provides students with countless opportunities to practice their craft. Throughout the year, HEC is active planning and executing the Welcome Picnic for incoming and returning students, hosting the Dean’s Homecoming Tailgate party, attending the Hotel Show in NYC and representing the school at the alumni event, taking a leadership role in the school, and planning the entire HEC conference. During this process, students practice their management and leadership skills. At the Board of Directors level, the boardroom and the classroom intersect. Time is spent during board meetings learning about management and leadership, discussing team effectiveness, listening to and providing others with feedback, learning how to be productive team members and documenting the entire process with the ultimate goal of making the organization stronger and the HEC experience more meaningful.
Hotel Ezra Cornell is a leadership development experience grounded in experiential learning. We hope that you will join us and become a part of the experience.