I am pleased to share that following a national search, I have appointed Cynthia Mejia as permanent dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, with the rank of professor.

Mejia has led the Rosen College in an interim role since October 2023 and has done an exceptional job supporting students, faculty and staff while also fostering industry partnerships that will help the college have an even greater impact in the community and on the hospitality management profession.

A former department chair, dean Mejia is well-known to the Rosen community, which she joined as a faculty member in 2013, bringing with her 20 years of industry experience in food and beverage and hotel operations management.

She received her doctorate in hospitality administration from Texas Tech University, a master’s degree in hospitality management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from California Polytechnic State University. In addition to this academic training, Mejia is also a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

I am grateful to all members of the university community who participated in the search process, which was led by Dean Grant Hayes from the College of Community Innovation and Education.

Please join me in congratulating dean Mejia and wishing the Rosen College — named the nation’s No. 1 hospitality program by ShanghaiRanking — continued success.

Story from Cynthia Mejia Named Dean of Rosen College by By Michael D. Johnson for UCF Today