The University of Delaware’s Sheryl Kline has been named the University’s next Aramark Chair in Hospitality Business Management. This appointment recognizes Kline’s illustrious teaching and research career.

“With more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry and academia, Dr. Kline brings both practical knowledge and innovative scholarship to hospitality business management,” UD President Dennis Assanis said. “Thanks to Dr. Kline’s thoughtful mentorship and teaching at UD’s immersive living-learning environments, our students gain the critical skills to succeed in this exciting and growing field.”

Kline, who is deputy dean of UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics and a professor of hospitality business management, said, “It is an honor to be supported by Aramark. Aramark continues to be a supportive partner of the hospitality business management department and our students. Through their generous support, I will use this professorship to primarily do research and support my teaching. This will enable me to do more research and disseminate my work to a larger audience.” 

Provost Robin Morgan added that Kline’s scholarly strengths are extensive.

“Dr. Kline’s scholarship has focused on the industry’s customer service standards as well as numerous other topics, such as motivation, satisfaction, training and wages of hospitality professionals,” Morgan said. “Dr. Kline was recognized as one of Delaware Today Magazine’s 40 Delaware Business Women of the Year in 2015. Her teaching awards include the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education’s John Wiley and Sons Award for Innovation in Teaching and the McCool Breakthrough Award in Hospitality Education.”

Lerner College Dean Bruce Weber explained why Kline is a great fit for the role.

“Sheryl met the three-fold criteria of the award remarkably well with her demonstrated record of accomplishment in research and in teaching,” Weber said, “and since joining UD in 2013, has shown a deep commitment to strengthening the Department of Hospitality Business Management.

“As the hospitality business management department chairperson from 2013 to 2018, Sheryl lifted excellence in the group through faculty hiring and promotions, development of new programs and fundraising with hospitality firms, program graduates and parents of our students. Prior to 2008, the department was not in the Lerner College. Sheryl has accelerated the integration of the department into the Lerner College through shared core courses, executive programs and a service operations course in the Online MBA program.”

On the selection process, Weber added, “I would like to thank the named professors in the Lerner College for reviewing materials and providing a recommendation, and also thank Aramark Corporation for their generous gift, and Sue Bogan and Tammy Sumpter of Aramark for their continued involvement with our students and programs.”

The Aramark Chair in Hospitality Business Management was established in 2001 through the generosity of Aramark’s Educational Services unit to recognize a faculty member who demonstrates a high level of accomplishment in research and teaching, and a commitment to strengthening the department and its programs.