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Auburn University students in the College of Human Sciences Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management will continue to gain invaluable educational knowledge on their journey to becoming the next generation of leaders in the global hospitality management industry thanks in part to the recent opening of a brand-new state-of-the-art Graduate by Hilton Media Laboratory in the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center.

“We began this journey to build the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center probably about 10-11 years ago and one of those things that was important was the whole farm to table element in what we were trying to do with culinary,” said Dr. Martin O’Neill, head of the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management. “One of those stops along the way was how do we better present the top dishes coming out of these kitchens to the world at large and that’s where the Hilton Media Laboratory comes into play.”

Graduate by Hilton — in collaboration with iHeartIMPACT funded this unique space that fulfilled a vision for a dedicated media space for students to use state-of-the-art equipment to stage, photograph, and record their work relating to culinary science, event management and hotel and restaurant management.

On April 16, leaders from Auburn University, Graduate by Hilton and iHeartIMPACT met inside the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center to celebrate the media laboratory opening where they were treated to a student plating in the Viking Culinary Exhibition Laboratory followed by a photography demonstration of the plated food in the new media lab.

“This transformative impact on one of the nation’s premier hospitality management programs is a natural extension of Graduate by Hilton’s connection to the college towns they call home,” said Parker Henderson, brand leader for Graduate by Hilton. “The brand holds true to its belief that we are all students, and this collaboration further underscores that commitment.”

The new space will now offer students opportunities to capture their best work with the guidance of faculty, visiting lecturers and leaders in the hospitality industry. Additionally, the media lab will further support the hospitality students in building their professional portfolios to support a pathway to employment and demonstrate how skills gained in the classroom answer the greatest needs of the hospitality industry.

Damon Phillips, a sophomore studying culinary science, made braised beef pierogis for guests at the media lab opening celebration and touted how exciting it will be to capture his work for the remainder of his educational experience.

“Using my gift to put beautiful ingredients onto a canvas is always a great use of my time but when I'm not able to capture that art I feel a little unfulfilled. With this new lab, I can finally fulfill my art and share it with the world.”

Damon Phillips, a sophomore studying culinary science

“As a student in the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management, being able to photograph my dishes that take time and effort to create is truly a great gift,” said Phillips. “Using my gift to put beautiful ingredients onto a canvas is always a great use of my time but when I'm not able to capture that art I feel a little unfulfilled. With this new lab, I can finally fulfill my art and share it with the world.”

iHeartIMPACT is a division of iHeartMedia that focuses on aligning brands with nonprofit organizations. Pete Veto, Auburn market president for iHeartMedia, attended the media lab opening and explained why it’s important to collaborate with the Graduate by Hilton to support Auburn University and more specifically, the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management, to positively impact students.

"We seek out companies and organizations that share our core values, making them perfect partners in our communities," said Veto. "Through our stations in this market and across the country, we strive to elevate these partnerships by identifying exciting opportunities to make a meaningful impact and give back to our community. iHeart is so grateful for this chance to work with the Graduate by Hilton and Auburn University teams in support of this valuable resource through the Horst Shulze School of Hospitality Management.”

For more information on the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management

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