Anna Schiffmann grew up in Germany and moved to the U.S. to attend UVU. She is a hospitality management major and is among the first students enrolled in the Wasatch Resort Management Program (WARM) internship. As part of the program, she will live in Park City and work in one of the many hotels and resorts there while earning a living and her degree at the same time. She starts this fall.

“I am most excited to be working at a hotel. I’m a little nervous because they are luxury hotels, but I am really excited to be working and practicing what I learn in my courses,” Schiffmann says.

The strategic partnership between UVU and some of the finest hotels in the region will allow students to work at the Montage Deer Valley, Waldorf Astoria Park City, Autograph Collection Hotel Park City, or The Lodge at Blue Sky while getting a degree in hospitality management. The program includes tuition reimbursement and a strong professional network.

Schiffmann and other students in the inaugural class will be taking courses to fulfill degree requirements through the UVU Wasatch Campus. To gain experience, students will work full time during winter break and spring semester and working part time during the fall and summer semesters. When studying full time, students will work an average of 20 hours per week. They’ll average 35 hours per week when studying part time.

The applicable coursework within the program is one reason why Schiffmann, who deemed hotel management as her desired career at the age of 14, is excited about the program.

According to Schiffmann, the work and go-to-school format of the program is a major plus for students.

“If I would have started school in Germany I would have done a similar program where I went to school and completed an internship at the same time. When I heard about the WARM Program I was excited because I could go to school and do an internship at the same time.”

The program is five semesters long, and tuition is $19,500 for Utah residents and $27,625 for non-residents. Students working for a hotel partner could qualify for $5,000 in tuition reimbursement. Housing will be $600 per month. Participants in the program will be making a minimum of $15 per hour after tips.

For Schiffmann, the program allows her to gain experience to get closer to her dream of owning her own hotel. She says, “At some point I would love to possibly open my own hotel, maybe in Germany or the U.S., because I love both places. I am excited for the WARM Program because I can work, earn my degree, and get closer to a career I am so passionate about.”

Students interested in the program should visit the Wasatch Resort Management Program website at uvu.edu/wasatch/warm.

This article was originally published in the Provo Daily Herald.