UW students pose for a photo outside Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration during the 2026 International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education Eta Sigma Delta Undergraduate Research Symposium. From left are Savannah Avey, Elisabeth Ressler, Kara Waskowiak, Skylar Edmund and Grace Dahill. (UW Photo)
Students from the University of Wyoming’s Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management
Program and the hospitality business management minor presented research at the 2026
International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education Eta Sigma Delta
Undergraduate Research Symposium Feb. 26-27 at Boston University.
UW students Kara Waskowiak, of Gothenburg, Neb.; Elisabeth Ressler, of Armagh, Pa.;
Grace Dahill, of Cheyenne; Skylar Edmund, of Harrison, Neb.; and Savannah Avey, of
Gail, Texas, joined more than 100 undergraduate researchers representing 20 universities
from across the United States.
The symposium is organized by Eta Sigma Delta, the international honor society for
hospitality and tourism students, of which UW is a member. The annual event brings
together top undergraduate scholars to present research and exchange ideas on emerging
issues in the hospitality and tourism industries.
The UW students presented research examining the legacy and impact of the Pulte Humanitarian
Hotel Model, a purpose-driven hospitality approach in which hotel operations generate
revenue that is directly reinvested into charitable initiatives. Their presentation
also explored how participation in the Pulte Gateway to Hospitality Innovation Challenge influenced their academic and professional development and opened new opportunities
within the hospitality industry.
The research project was mentored by Sara Ghezzi, an assistant professor of practice
in the UW Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources’ Outdoor Recreation and
Tourism Management Program and the College of Business’s hospitality business management
minor.
“Watching our students present their work among top undergraduate researchers from
across the country was incredibly rewarding,” Ghezzi says. “Opportunities like this
help them see how their ideas and research can contribute to the future of the hospitality
industry.”
Participation in the symposium provided the students with an opportunity to present their work on a national stage; engage with peers and faculty from leading hospitality programs; and gain professional research experience. Funding for the trip was provided by the Jay Kemmerer WORTH (Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality) Institute. While in Boston, students also met with hospitality leaders and toured the Canopy Boston Downtown and the Pennyweight Hotel Boston, Curio Collection by Hilton, gaining additional insights into contemporary hotel operations and innovation.
