UWF hospitality professor recognized for innovation in teaching

University of West Florida professor Dr. Alison “Ali” Green received the John Wiley & Sons Award for Innovation in Teaching from the International Council on Hospitality, Restaurant and Institutional Education.

Green, assistant professor in the UWF Department of Global Hospitality & Tourism Management, accepted the award this summer at the ICHRIE annual conference in Dallas, Texas. According to ICHRIE, this award recognizes a member for the individual’s implementation of innovative, creative, and effective teaching techniques in hospitality education at the high school, diploma and college or university level.

“This award is extremely special to me for several reasons. Having more than 25 years in the hospitality industry, I saw a need to develop our future leaders,” said Green. “For that reason I teach and want to change the hospitality industry one learner at a time.”

Green said her passion for teaching led her to create the Hospitality Learners Model with co-author Dr. Gail Sammons, a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to effect change by introducing a new way of teaching. The Hospitality Learners Model was the focus of Green’s nomination for the award.

“This new way of teaching is reaching each of our hospitality learners, through active learning in the classroom, either online or face-to-face,” she said. “I have tirelessly worked on this for the last 10 years, and being recognized by my peers is the ultimate award.”

In support of Green’s nomination for the Innovation in Teaching award, Dr. Lisa Assante, chair of the UWF Global Hospitality & Tourism Management Department, noted Green’s use of technology in the classroom, including a simulation tool that allows students to manage virtual resorts. “Understanding the technology being used to develop industry leaders and implementing it in her classroom provides essential knowledge for both herself and her students,” she said.

“Dr. Green is an outstanding educator,” Assante added. “When teaching courses, she brings invaluable industry experience into her classroom, facilitating meaningful discussions through her relatable context for practical application. She challenges students to meet and exceed expectations and empowers them by providing the framework of carefully defined coursework, clearly set instruction, and insightful feedback.”

A member of ICHRIE since 2008, Green has made numerous peer-reviewed presentations on education and the hospitality industry. Her research has been published in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, the Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, and the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. She also has helped hoteliers identify key operating and sales opportunities and created leadership training programs for nonprofits.

For more information about the UWF Department of Global Hospitality & Tourism Management, visit uwf.edu/ghtm.