Agift of $70,000 from the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation to the University of Wyoming will support Wyoming’s hospitality and tourism industry and UW students going into that field.
“The Laramie Hilton is one of our three Humanitarian Hotels in which 100% of the net profits are donated to charity and the hotels themselves are used to execute charitable programming that supports the local communities,” says Kevin Doyle, chief operating officer of the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation.
The gift creates the Pulte Gateway to Hospitality Fund, which will enable students interested in the hospitality and tourism industry to pursue transformative internships and academic experiences they otherwise may not be able to afford due to high-cost living expenses, the pay of the internship, or other financial challenges.
Funding will also support unique hands-on educational experiences such as the creation of a hospitality innovation challenge that will run alongside the College of Business John P. Ellbogen $50K Entrepreneurship Competition.
“We are truly excited to extend that mission to support UW by creating this unique program for UW Hospitality students, and we are looking forward to more wrap-around support of that entire education experience,” says Doyle. “We believe this will help set up many students to be successful in an industry that is so critical to the state of Wyoming.”
The gift from the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation supports the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality (WORTH) Initiative. Its impact was doubled by the 2023 WORTH match program, creating $140,000 in funding.
The WORTH Initiative supports, expands, and diversifies Wyoming’s economy through the outdoor recreation, tourism, and hospitality industries. The initiative was established in 2018 as a partnership between the Haub School and the College of Business.
“We are thrilled to have the support of the Pulte Family Foundation,” says Dr. Dan McCoy, interim director of the WORTH Initiative. “Our students want to make a difference in these industries in Wyoming—this gift will be transformative for so many.”
The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation supports humanitarian initiatives led by nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. They currently partner with nearly 200 nonprofits in the United States and globally.
The Hilton Garden Inn – Laramie is owned by the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation as part of its Humanitarian Hotels initiative. One hundred percent of the net profits from each property are used to support charitable initiatives around the globe.
Additionally, as part of the Humanitarian Hotels initiative, these properties provide programming for employees, guests, and nonprofits that represent the foundation’s mission of serving people in need—including charitable programs of the University of Wyoming and philanthropic organizations in Albany County.