Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus will host a Mardi Gras-themed reception on March 8 to raise funds for scholarships and program support for its hospitality management program, which will launch in fall 2020.
 
The Mardi Gras Moonrise Magic Reception will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage.
 
The reception will be an intimate, upscale event where supporters can learn more about the exciting developments with the program, meet the first enrolled students and enjoy an early evening affair full of magic, moonlight and music. There will also be a raffle with luxury items and exotic travel packages. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served and the attire will be Mardi Gras festive.
 
The Coachella Valley is home to a large number of luxury hotels, timeshares, restaurants, golf courses and major tourist attractions and events, representing a $6 billion industry. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of qualified applicants for management level positions.
 
To tackle this issue, in the fall of 2020, the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus will launch a hospitality management program. The program’s director, Joe Tormey, who began his position at PDC in summer 2019, is implementing a plan to transform it into a world-class program that attracts the best students from the Coachella Valley, California and beyond. Tormey has extensive experience, spanning 40 years in the hospitality industry, both as a senior administrator and as a faculty member.
 
Event sponsors include the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, Desert Champions, The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage and The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa.
 
For tickets or sponsorship information, contact Matthew Durkan, CSUSB Palm Desert Campus director of development, at Matthew.Durkan@csusb.edu.
 
The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a doctorate in educational leadership, and teaching credentials and certificates. With more than 1,600 students, it is the Coachella Valley’s four-year public university and plays a vital role in educating and training the region’s growing population.
 
For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the Office of Strategic Communication at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the campus website at pdc.csusb.edu