The University of Central Florida is set to honor hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen with an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree, recognizing his lifetime of selflessness, achievement, and contributions to the community. This esteemed recognition is one of the university’s highest awards, necessitating a detailed nomination process, a recommendation from the university president, and final approval from the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees vote, held on June 25, was unanimous.

“I have learned from Mr. Rosen how modest beginnings can translate into hard work, and how doing the right thing for his associates and company can transcend people’s lives,” said Cynthia Mejia, dean of the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management, acknowledging Rosen’s sustained achievements in public service over the last 50 years. She reiterated that sentiment personally when delivering news of the honor to Rosen.

Rosen is known as one of Central Florida’s leading entrepreneurs, purchasing one hotel (now the Rosen Inn International) in 1974 and growing it into seven area hotels, multiple subsidiary businesses, and employing more than 4,000 associates. Now celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary, Rosen’s company, Rosen Hotels & Resorts, is one of the Southeast’s largest independent hotel chains with more than 6,300 guest rooms and suites, more than 740,000 square feet of event space, and more than 30 unique dining options.

Honored with multiple Lifetime Achievement awards, Rosen is celebrated as one of the most generous, selfless, and kind-hearted individuals in all of Florida.

In 2004, after Rosen donated time, resources, and millions of dollars, the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management opened its doors, offering students an amazing opportunity to learn and work in the heart of the hospitality industry. Currently celebrating 20 years of excellence in hospitality education, Rosen College is annually recognized as one of the best hospitality schools in the nation and in the world. His generosity and vision have been instrumental in creating a top-tier institution that not only imparts academic knowledge but also provides practical experience, preparing students to be leaders in the hospitality industry.

The UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management has flourished under Rosen’s patronage, with programs such as entertainment management, lifestyle community management, hospitality management, theme park and attraction management, lodging and restaurant management, and event management. These programs reflect the diverse and dynamic nature of the hospitality industry in Orlando, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in one of the world’s premier tourist destinations.

Mejia also highlighted Rosen’s additional philanthropic efforts, including founding the Jack and Lee Rosen Jewish Community Center in Southwest Orlando, preventing the closure of what is now the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center, along with providing drinking water, housing, and other relief supplies to people in Haiti after multiple natural disasters. “His remarkable life of giving to the local, regional, and international community is a rarity and noteworthy of distinction,” Mejia concluded.

Rosen Hotels & Resorts Vice President Frank Santos enthusiastically discussed the man he has known for more than 39 years saying, “While I could write a book about his business success and how leaders all over Florida look to him as a beacon of light, it is the foundations, his generosity, and his selflessness which I would like to highlight,” Santos said in his accompanying letter to UCF’s Commencements, Convocations, and Recognitions Committee. “Quite simply put, Mr. Rosen is a humble man who has positively impacted the lives of thousands of Floridians not for any other reason than, in his words, ‘because it is the right thing to do,’” Santos added.

Rosen will receive this honorary Doctor of Public Service degree on Aug. 3 at 9 a.m. during UCF’s summer commencement at Addition Financial Arena.

Story from Rosen Hotels & Resorts