NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality Announces the Establishment of the Jonathan M. Tisch Chair

The Endowed Chair Was Made Possible Through a Generous Gift by Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch, Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels & Co., and Co-chairman of the Board of Loews Corporation

NEW YORK, February 18, 2021— The NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality announced the establishment of the Jonathan M. Tisch Chair, which was endowed through a generous gift made by Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch. A major supporter of NYU SPS and the Tisch Center, Tisch serves as chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels & Co, and co-chairman of the board of Loews Corporation.

Through this transformational gift, the position of associate dean of the Tisch Center will now also include the title of Jonathan M. Tisch Chair. Assuming this inaugural faculty position is Nicolas Graf, PhD, the current associate dean of the Tisch Center.

“Having spent my professional career in hospitality, it is an honor to help support the future leaders of this dynamic industry,” said Tisch, who in 2016 was voted “Hotelier of the World” by HOTELS magazine for his leadership in the travel and tourism industry. “Associate Dean Nicolas Graf has done an exceptional job leading the Tisch Center to new heights and I look forward to continuing to work with him in the years to come.”

In announcing the establishment of the endowed chair, Susan Greenbaum, dean of the NYU School of Professional Studies, noted, “Jon Tisch is a giant in the hospitality and travel industry and a driving force in its continuing evolution. Few donors have matched the incredible impact of his generosity and influence on the trajectory and mission of NYU SPS and the Tisch Center. We are deeply grateful for his philanthropic support and for his devotion to the School and its students."

Tisch serves as the chair of the NYU SPS Tisch Center’s International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, the leading global conference in the hospitality industry. Proceeds from the Conference have provided scholarships for Tisch students, including a universal scholarship of $10,000 for every new graduate student enrolling in the Tisch Center. Beyond the Conference, Tisch serves as the chairman emeritus for the Advisory Board of the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, hires Tisch Center graduates and offers students a wide range of internship opportunities, frequently serves as a moderator for Tisch Center industry panels, and continuously supports NYU SPS fundraising initiatives.

“It is my distinct honor to serve as the inaugural Jonathan M. Tisch Chair,” said Graf. “Jon is an icon whose reputation shines well beyond hospitality and travel. He has inspired me and countless others through his unwavering leadership, philanthropy, and impact. His continuous support over so many years gives us the motivation for ensuring the Tisch Center is, and remains, the leading hospitality program in the world.”

About the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality
The NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, now celebrating 25 years of academic excellence, is a leading center for the study of hospitality, travel, and tourism. Founded in 1995, the Tisch Center was established in response to the growing need for hospitality and tourism undergraduate and graduate education. Its cutting-edge curricula attract bright, motivated students who seek to become leaders in their fields.

Through its undergraduate degree in hotel and tourism management, its graduate degrees in hospitality industry studies, tourism management, and event management; a plethora of Professional Pathways programs; and its world-renowned hospitality investment conference, students gain the knowledge and the skill sets that enable them to manage change, to communicate, to thrive in complex work environments, and to advance the businesses of hospitality, travel, and tourism. The Tisch Center recently launched the Hospitality Innovation Hub (HI Hub), which will foster entrepreneurship and creative solutions for the industries it serves. The state-of-the-art facilities offer students, start-ups, established industry partners, and investors opportunities to learn, discover, innovate, and invest.

For more information about the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, visit sps.nyu.edu/tisch.

The NYU School of Professional Studies – Celebrating More Than 85 Years of Excellence in Applied Professional Education
For over 85 years, the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) has been a deeply respected institution of higher education that is grounded in applied learning. From its early years, training returning World War II veterans to fulfill the nation’s urgent need for skilled technical workers, it has evolved into a professional education powerhouse that offers 20 graduate degrees, 13 bachelor’s degrees for traditional and post-traditional students, four associate’s degrees, and a plethora of non-degree courses and credentials.

NYU SPS is a thought leader, and serves as an incubator for new ideas in industries that are constantly changing, including real estate, real estate development, and construction management; hospitality, tourism, travel, and event management; global affairs and global security, conflict, and cybercrime; global sport and sports business; publishing; marketing; public relations; project management; executive coaching and organizational consulting, human resource management and development, and human capital analytics and technology; management and systems; translation; and professional writing. It is focused on building skills that open doors to opportunities in emerging fields and global markets. NYU SPS faculty members are leading experts in their areas of discipline, with a hands-on approach that encourages students to push beyond their limits and to break new ground.

Home to some of the largest and most prestigious industry conferences in the world, including the Schack Institute of Real Estate’s Capital Markets Conference, REIT Symposium, and National Symposium of Women in Real Estate; and the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality’s International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, the School’s invaluable connections to industry leaders is a truly distinguishing factor in the education that it provides. Through career development services and resources provided by the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development at NYU SPS, guest lecturers, site visits, participation in numerous conferences and events, and Global Field Intensives, students benefit from an NYU education that will set them apart. In addition, they have the opportunity to learn from and network with more than 30,000 NYU SPS alumni who live, work, and contribute to innovation in industry around the world. To learn more about NYU SPS visit: sps.nyu.edu.