The Palm Desert Campus of Cal State San Bernardino is hosting a gala to celebrate and support its hospitality management program.

“New York, New York,” an evening of iconic New York City foods, classic cocktails and a jazz duo on piano and upright bass, will take place on Sunday, March 5, from 5-9 p.m. at the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa.

The gala will be a festive event that will showcase program developments, introduce hospitality program students and feature student DJs from PDC’s Paws Radio.

The Coachella Valley has a $7.5 billion hospitality and tourism industry. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of qualified applicants for managerial positions. To tackle this issue, the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus launched a world-class hospitality management program that is attracting the best students from the Coachella Valley and beyond.

“The gala is a component of the curriculum and learning activity in the Meetings and Event Planning course,” said Joe Tormey, director of the hospitality management program at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus.

“Students assist in planning a large-scale event that generates financial support for their education, study abroad opportunities and the marketing of the program. The gala affords students the opportunity for experiential learning and serves as a platform to celebrate their accomplishments and acknowledge the outstanding support from sponsors, donors and the community,” he said.

Individual event tickets are $150 (fair market value is $100 per ticket) and sponsorship opportunities start at $1,500.

All proceeds from the event support CSUSB’s hospitality management program.

Event sponsors include The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa, Visit Greater Palm Springs, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, The Ritz-Carlton, Desert Champions, JW Marriott Desert Springs Palm Desert and the Oak View Group.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit the CSUSB Hospitality Management webpage.

About PDC: The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a doctorate in educational leadership, teaching credentials and certificates. Serving more than 2,200 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 PDC website at www.csusb.edu/pdc.