Jennie Campa/Contributing Writer
Abundant opportunities continue to grow in the hospitality management industry with the Wine Masters Certificate Program that will be offered on campus for the first time under the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
The program will be headed by several professors, including Patrick J. Cassidy, Eric Hemer and William Hebrank.
“The class meets 13 consecutive Mondays from Sept. 12 onward at 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center located at the Biscayne Bay Campus,” explained Dawn Fagnan, assistant director of Enrollment and Recruitment Services. “Students must pay $695 in order to participate in the program.”
The program, developed by Patrick J. Cassidy, a professor of wine technology, was offered last semester through the Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Education Research and is being offered again this Fall.
“Working in hospitality, there needs to be a lot of knowledge about food, locations and other services so that customers are confident that they will get the best,” said Hilary Hintz, a sophomore and hospitality management major.
“It is important to be knowledgeable about different wines and the wine industry so that each client is satisfied, no matter their taste or preference.”
The series of classes will take the students around the world, exploring over 135 different wine flavors.
Improving the students’ palate is a part of the class, making wine tasting a regular element in the course; for this reason, not everyone can enroll in the program. “Participants must be at least 21,” said Fagnan, “as with our other beverage-related courses.”
Among the objectives of the course, students will be exposed to the great wines and vineyards of the world, however, no official trips have been established for the certificate program yet.
“To my knowledge, this class doesn’t offer any field trips — but other wine classes in our department may offer them. This is up to the professor,” Fagnan said.
Although there are no pre-requisites required, the certificate program is intended for professionals with previous experience. Each class session is designed to expand upon the experience and knowledge of individuals already working in the field of hospitality and tourism management.
“In pursuing my future career as a wedding planner, I want to be able to satisfy my clients’ desires for their wedding day. Wine is definitely an important aspect of that day,” said Hintz.
The 13-week program will also instruct students on the proper way to handle beverages, including how to store, serve and merchandise the different wines. Students in the program will also be trained in the skills of buying and selling beverages and the economics behind the wine business.
“[The Wine Masters Certificate] would also be very beneficial to know about the industry so that I will be able to partner with companies in the future and understand how the industry works,” continued Hintz.
Tiffany Disney, a junior and business major, affirms the benefits of the program. “The Wine Masters Certificate can actually be beneficial for a student who is a business major looking to be a wine vendor. If you have the correct perspective as a student and plan on properly using the certificate in the future, I believe the certificate can be quite beneficial to any individual.”
The Wine Masters Certificate Program not only benefits individuals in hospitality management, but it also improves the university as a whole.
“The certificate program would definitely add to the school’s curriculum, not only for the hospitality majors, but also for students interested in the program,” said Hintz. “It creates more diversity in FIU’s studies, as well as providing a unique and interesting topic, applicable to many fields of study.”
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