News
[BU Today] SHA Student Turns Hospitality Passion into Career Path
A recent Boston University feature spotlights how hands-on industry experience and mentorship are helping students at the Boston University School of Hospitality Administration turn their passion for hospitality into meaningful careers. The article follows BU senior Bayley Fox, who combined her studies with real-world restaurant experience to pursue a future in... More
[BU Today] SHA Students Shine in BU’s Innovation Competitions
Students from the Boston University School of Hospitality Administration are among the innovators contributing to a vibrant culture of entrepreneurship across campus, highlighted during Innovators’ Night 2026 and a series of university-wide innovation competitions. At this year’s events, including the $50K Hospitality Innovation Competition held during the Hospitality Leadership Summit, SHA... More
[Expedite] Beli CEO Highlights Data-Driven Dining at Hospitality Leadership Summit
The Boston University School of Hospitality Administration recently hosted its annual Hospitality Leadership Summit, bringing together industry leaders to explore innovation shaping the future of hospitality. During the event, Judy Thelen, Co-Founder and CEO of Beli, was featured in a live podcast conversation, where she shared insights into the company’s unique... More
[Newsweek] Why Gen Z Is Choosing Staycations: Insights from Makarand Mody
Makarand Mody, Associate Professor at Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, is featured in a recent Newsweek article examining how Generation Z is approaching travel decisions. Mody explains that while Gen Z travelers often aspire to international travel, many are choosing domestic trips as a practical response to financial pressures. Rather... More
[Reader’s Digest] Why Hotel Sheets Are Tucked So Tightly
Alec Dalton, adjunct professor at Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, is featured in a recent Reader’s Digest article explaining a small but memorable detail of the hotel experience - why sheets are tucked so tightly. Drawing on his expertise in service operations and guest experience, Dalton explains that tightly tucked... More
[BU Today] George Poll on Building a Lasting Restaurant Legacy
George Poll (CGS’82, SHA’84), a graduate of Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, is featured in a recent BU Today article highlighting his journey in building a successful, family-driven restaurant group. Poll, who operates a portfolio of restaurants on Long Island with his brother, credits long-term success to a combination of quality, More
[New Publication] Dr. Shashan Bao Explores Leader Loneliness and Organizational Power Distance
Dr. Shashan Bao from Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, in collaboration with Phillip M. Jolly, has published a new study in Group & Organization Management exploring an often-overlooked issue in leadership—loneliness. Titled “The Lonely Leader: How Organizational Power Distance and Need to Belong Shape Leader Loneliness,” the research reveals that... More
Boston University School of Hospitality announces the 2026 Hospitality Real Estate Symposium featuring the inaugural Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition
Boston University School of Hospitality Administration (BU SHA), is proud to announce the 2026 Hospitality Real Estate Symposium and the finals of the Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition on April 21 and 22, 2026 at the Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences on the BU campus. Event Details: Date: Wednesday, April 21-22, 2026 Global Hospitality Real Estate Competition Finals: Tues., April 21, More
[Boston Magazine] Should Actual Bostonians Ever Go to Cheers, Faneuil Hall, or Mike’s Pastry?
Leora Lanz, Associate Professor of Marketing at Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, is featured in a recent Boston Magazine article exploring whether locals should visit iconic tourist spots like Cheers Beacon Hill, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and Mike's Pastry. Lanz explains that while Bostonians may dismiss these locations as overly touristy, More
[BU Today] Building the Future of Hospitality Real Estate
Kaushik Vardharajan, Associate Professor of the Practice at Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, was featured in a recent BU Today article highlighting the School’s innovative Master of Science in Hospitality Real Estate program. The program prepares students to understand the financial, development, and investment decisions behind hospitality properties. As director... More
[The Brink] How Should Workers Respond to Rude Customers? Dr. Sunny Kim Weighs In
Sunny Kim, Assistant Professor at the Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, recently shared expert insights in The Brink article examining how service workers can effectively respond to rude customers. The article is grounded in her research, which served as the foundation for the study titled “Sleepless after sabotage: the... More
Boston University School of Hospitality names Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable, as 2026 Hospitality ICON Award honoree and spotlights Hospitality AI at the Hospitality Leadership Summit on April 10, 2026
Boston University School of Hospitality Administration (BU SHA) is pleased to announce that the 2026 Hospitality ICON Award will be presented to Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable, at the School’s annual Hospitality Leadership Summit, Friday, April 10, 2026. The full-day Summit will take place at Boston University’s Wightman Mansion, 43 Hawes... More
[New Publication] Understanding Lodging REIT Vulnerability Through Event Study Analysis
Apostolos Ampountolas, Ph.D., has published "Market Volatility and Lodging REIT Performance: An Event Study Analysis” in Tourism Analysis. The study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected 18 publicly traded lodging REITs using an event study approach and the Fama–French five-factor model. Results show significant negative cumulative abnormal returns following the World... More
[Boston Globe] Boston Real Estate Trend: Office Buildings Poised for Hotel Conversions
Kaushik Vardharajan, associate professor and director of real estate programs at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, was recently quoted in The Boston Globe discussing the growing trend of converting underutilized downtown office buildings into hotels. As Boston’s office market continues to face elevated vacancy rates, developers are exploring hospitality conversions... More
[New Publication] Airbnb’s IPO Impact on Hospitality Stocks
Apostolos Ampountolas, Ph.D., has published a new article in the International Journal of Hospitality Management titled “Disruption in hospitality: Spillover effects of Airbnb’s IPO on hotel and casino stocks.” The study investigates how Airbnb’s initial public offering influenced the stock performance of traditional hospitality firms. Using a Structural Vector Auto-Regression... More