In HMT 320: Hospitality and Tourism Marketing, students learn principles of marketing as they relate to the hospitality industry. In fall 2024, Yeonjung Kang, assistant professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Retailing and Tourism Management, assigned her students to create a video that highlights the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits at the University of Kentucky.

“What made this project stand out was the interdisciplinary collaboration," said Maria Paula Barrantes Castillo, a hospitality management and tourism major. "Unlike typical class assignments, we worked on a project that an established institution can actually use. It wasn’t just about learning concepts—we applied them in a real-world setting, which is an experience I’ll carry with me into my professional journey.”

View one of the group projects here: