PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday Dec 15, 2015 the ICUC, the Intercontinental University of the Caribbean, officially handed out diplomas to its St. Maarten based students in their Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management program who were unable to travel to Curacao. Two students, Jazmin Sambo and Crystal Gumbs received their hard earned bachelor degree from Executive Director Glen Yeung and Program Director Glenda York of the SXM Hospitality Educational Institute-SXMHEI. These students now join their 13 fellow graduates.
The International Hospitality & Tourism Management (IHTM) program of ICUC was started in 2001 on the recommendation of the World Bank to establish “a good quality hotel and restaurant school that could also attract students from elsewhere in the Caribbean” as an integral part of the overall economic reform and recover strategy of the island.
In its 8 years of existence, ICUC’s bachelor program in International Hospitality & Tourism Management has hosted over 150 students who have all experienced an innovative approach to international-career education.
The Study Abroad aspect of the program includes that students spend each year part of the program abroad. The program can look back with fulfilment on the realization of its international focus with a student mix including students from more than 20 countries and the wide range of international internship placements at places like: Miami, London, Amsterdam, Hawaii, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
Since the dismantling of the former Netherlands Antilles the respective graduating St. Maarten students have been under the guidance of the ICUC in collaboration with the SXM Hospitality Educational Institute-SXMHEI which is now located at its new facility on Backstreet # 172, level 2 in Philipsburg.