FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington announced Wednesday the start of a new business degree program aimed at preparing students for positions in the recreation and tourism field.
A bachelor of arts degree in outdoor recreation business administration will be offered starting in the fall of 2010, UMF President Theodora J. Kalikow said Wednesday.
The new program was developed in cooperation with Maine recreation industry leaders.
“UMF’s location in the heart of western Maine makes it a natural fit,” Kalikow said in a statement.
The degree program with an emphasis on business management and outdoor recreation will prepare students in areas such as sales, marketing, retail and tourism operations management. Students can pursue careers in areas such as snow sports, golfing, hiking and camping industries within resorts, service and retail businesses in and outside Western Maine. The program includes an internship with a local resort or regional business to help develop those skills through hands-on experience that employers seek.
Ski industry leaders Warren Cook, general manager and CEO of Saddleback, and Dana Bullen, general manager of Sunday River, both spoke at the Wednesday announcement.
Cook noted the four-year degree program preparing students for the resort and hospitality business is “a big step forward for us.” Along with looking for applicants with ambition and initiative, training is necessary, he said.
Bullen, who grew up in Farmington and earned an education degree at UMF, became involved in the ski industry finding a good position that allowed him to stay in the state.
“The program will allow more students to do the same,” he said.
As for the ski resort, Bullen expects the program will provide trained prospects for his management team in the future. A business that seasonally grows from 200 to 1,500 employees, hiring 1,300 for four months is a challenge. Students trained through the degree program will provide the quality needed for management, he said.
For UMF senior Alden Gile the location of the school is key. Although he’ll graduate before the program begins, he would have been a perfect candidate for the program. While at UMF, he has found employment through some of the local sports he enjoys – snowboarding in the winter and boat driving/water instructing on Sebago Lake in the summer.
Along with the academic portion of the program, extracurricular activities are included through the UMF Fitness and Recreation Center. Participation in a variety of adventure and outdoor activities will be available to both the campus and local community, Kalikow said.
These will start with Saturday excursions such as hiking, biking and kayaking, said Jim Toner, director of the Fitness and Recreation Center.
A program that will teach youngsters in grade K-3 to ski at Farmington’s Titcomb Mountain will begin in January, he said.
Although UMF cut its ski industry program this year during budget cutbacks, plans for the four-season degree program were under way.
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