Life is service
Our community has more than a seat at the table. We host the table.
At the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, we continue to push the boundaries of what the business of hospitality means. Our alumni flourish as leaders and innovators in hospitality, real estate and beyond thanks to their “never settle” mindset.
The Hotelie difference
Nolan School faculty and alumni are trailblazers engineering new possibilities for the future of the hospitality industry. Our deeply connected Hotelie community is one of the many advantages of your degree.
Our business is hospitality
We combine the principles of business with the language of hospitality. Hotelies believe that service is at the heart of any business, which ensures our alumni are visionaries infusing the business of hospitality into every industry.
Opportunities across the college
As part of the SC Johnson College, our students have access to shared resources, experts and networks. The Dyson School, Johnson School and the Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate expand student opportunities in management, finance and real estate.
An engaged Ivy League environment
The Cornell founding principle of “Any Person, Any Study” means that Hotelies are surrounded by interesting, scholarly and ambitious people across campus
Ingrained excellence
The Nolan School touches all facets of the hospitality industry including resorts, commercial real estate, technology and finance. Students apply their classroom learnings and challenge themselves while earning their degrees.
Opportunities include:
- Working a myriad of roles at The Statler Hotel, our on-campus luxury lodging
- Organizing the annual Hotel Ezra Cornell conference — where hospitality luminaries return to campus each year
- Learning the ins and outs of the restaurant business at Establishment
These on-campus opportunities equip students to land coveted internships, further enhancing their professional experience and confidence.
High expectations, remarkable results
The Nolan School attracts the best and brightest from across the globe. Once on campus, Hotelies push each other to the upper echelon — as a result, graduates excel across industries, supported by practical preparation and Cornell’s powerful alumni network.
90+%
of 2025 graduates employed
within four months of graduation
$86K
Average base salary
2025 graduates
67%
Use hospitality in their role
2025 graduates
Step into service leadership
Deeply honed practical skills make Nolan School graduates standout in the hiring process — as one leader at the Four Seasons said, Hotelies are equipped for successful careers.
Career pathways
Our students succeed in hospitality, financial services, real estate, consulting, technology, food and beverage and more.
High-earning Hotelies
Accenture, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Hilton Worldwide and Morgan Stanley, among others, regularly hire Hotelies.
Impressive reputation
“The combination of Ivy League and a world-class hospitality school is almost impossible for a travel start up to resist!” — Mike Keriakos, Co-Founder of Curacity
Hands-on hospitality experience
Here students live and breathe hospitality, applying classroom learnings to provide exceptional service to guests. Working among seasoned hospitality professionals provides daily practical experience.
Hotel Ezra Cornell (HEC)
Students plan and operate a themed three-day industry conference with speakers, entertainment and food and beverage service. This premier learning program has been challenging Hotelies’ marketing, IT, sales and problem-solving skills for more than 100 years.
Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series (DDLS)
Students learn from hospitality innovators and icons who share their insights on the latest trends in the industry, business strategies, their leadership style and career trajectory. Students have opportunities to deeply connect with the premier alumni thought leaders over shared meals and in small group settings.
Hotel Leadership Development Program (HLDP)
In this work-study program, students put leadership learning to the test on the job at The Statler Hotel, Cornell’s award-winning teaching hotel. You’ll progress through a series of paid positions with increasing responsibility and certifications. After successfully completing the program, students know how to operate at a four-star service level.
Establishment
All undergraduate Hotelies work in our student-run restaurant, which provides on-the-job training in everything from personnel management and instruction to customer relations. Students develop the menu, manage operations in the kitchen and front-of-house and provide excellent service to the Cornell community and general public. The experience culminates with each student owning management for a night.
A host of opportunities at Nolan
Our students explore a wide range of paths, from hospitality leadership to data-driven strategy. Hear how alumni and industry leaders describe the impact of their experience.
“[The Nolan School] helped me build a connection between what matters most — the spirit of hospitality and taking care of fellow team members — and how I could make a difference by pursuing my strengths in understanding complex problems through data. Every year I come back to recruit that mix of passion and analytical rigor and am constantly impressed.”
Jess Petitt ’05
SVP of Strategy, Insights & Full Service Brands at Hilton
“Being a part of Cornell is essential. The school represents the future of our industry and staying connected means we can afford students future work opportunities, we can network with alumni to discuss pressing industry issues, and we have the best hospitality community in the world.”
Gilda Perez-Alvarado ’02
CEO at Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor
“The brilliance of the school is that you can follow a path in so many different directions. Today’s Hotelies are courageous. They’re fearless. Their opportunities are limitless.”
Elizabeth Blau, M.S. ’97
Founder and CEO of restaurant development company Blau + Associates
Become a Hotelie
As a pioneer in hospitality for 100 years, and as the only Ivy League program of its kind, the Nolan School continues to cultivate industry leaders and innovators that passionately redefine service and excellence.