Education

Ph.D., Purdue University
M.S., Purdue University
B.S, Miami University

Background

Sandy K. Strick, a graduate of Purdue University, has been on the faculty of the School of Hospitality and Tourism at the University of South Carolina for more than 20 years and took over as interim director for the school in July 2024. Strick has previous experience leading the school having been its chair for five years. She also serves as director of the Wine and Beverage Institute at USC.

She teaches Wine and Spirits, Meeting Planning and Multicultural Human Resources courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Strick has dedicated a significant portion of her professional effort toward the improvement of hospitality education through her work with the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Education where she ha,s among other positions, served two terms as commission chair, and continues to participate actively in accreditation site visits. Strick is also a certified hospitality educator with the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Strick is a certified wine specialist. She is active in the Society of Wine Educators where she has been an instructor for several of their classes and serves on the society's educational advisory board. Strick is the founding director of the Wine and Beverage Institute at Carolina. The institute is dedicated to wine and beverage education in the Columbia community. Through the institute, Strick teaches a variety of wine courses to include: Wine 101, Bordeaux, Rose, and Sparkling Wines and Champagnes. For the past several years, she has participated in the Banfi Scholarship Tour that provides students and faculty with a Tuscan food and wine experience.

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In the Media

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2024

• What's a beverage lab? How USC's 'coolest room on campus' is shaping hospitality training: Post and Courier

2022

• “Globetrotters.edu”: Wired Ivy

Research

• Employment diversity in the hospitality industry
• Wine rourism
• Wine marketing
• Meeting and convention issues and trends

Professional Affiliations

• International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education
• Society of Wine Educators
• Professional Convention Management Association

Honors / Awards

• As HTMT's director of graduate studies, was honored as one of the 2013 recipients of the Mortar Board Award for "Excellence in Teaching." Recipients of these awards are nominated by students that have been motivated, enlightened and inspired by their faculty.
• In 1988, the Mortar Board Honor Society began acknowledging professors for their achievements and dedication and who had contributed significantly to student success. Excellence in teaching is the single criterion necessary to be nominated for the award.
• Mentioned as a teacher who made a significant contribution to the success of students.
• Nominated, Teacher of the Year, College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, 2001-2005.
• Nominated, 2000 Golden Key Faculty Award for Creative Integration of Research and Undergraduate Teaching, February 2000.

Teaching

• HRTM 364 – Introduction to Meetings and Conventions
• HRTM 475 – Wine and Spirits in the Foodservice Industry
• HRTM 537 – Multicultural Human Resources Management
• HRTM 564 – Advanced Meeting Management

Book Chapters

"The adult learner." Professional Convention Management, The Professional Meeting Manager, 5th edition, Chapter 2, March 2006.

Select Research Publications

Salazar, John, Strick, S. and Antun, John. (2007). "Minority employees in the hospitality industry and job satisfaction." National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies Monograph Series.

Antun, J., Strick, S., and Thomas, L. (2007). "Exploring culture and diversity for Hispanics in restaurant online recruitment efforts." pp. 85-107, Vol. 6, No. 1. Journal of Hospitality Human Resources in Hospitality and Tourism.

Antun, J., Strick, S., and Thomas, L. (February, 2006). "Exploring culture and diversity on restaurant websites: A content analysis of the top 100 companies' websites." Journal of Hospitality Human Resources.

Antun, J., Strick, S., and Thomas, L. (2003). "Exploring culture and diversity on restaurant websites: A content analysis of the top 100 companies' websites." Journal of Foodservice Research.

Antun, John, Strick, S., Morse, Steve, and Talbert, Jimmy. (2003). "The elasticity of labor demand in the hospitality industry and the absence of Hispanic friendly web sites for hospitality companies." The Consortium Journal of Hospitality and Tourism. Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 32-46.

Strick, S., Antun, and Hoover. (2002). "All Hispanics are not the same." The Consortium Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, Vol. 6, No. 1, 2002. pp. 19-29.

Montgomery and Strick; "Meetings, conventions and expositions: An introduction to the industry." Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1994.