School of Business, Hospitality and Global Trade Student Experiences
No matter where these current or former students are in the process of reaching their goals, we salute them. They have dared to turn dreams into reality through education in the School of Business, Hospitality and Global Trade. Could you be next?
Loretta Allen
Director, Global Accounts
Omni Hotel
“The great thing about Richland’s program is that the classes are taught by people in the industry. They say, ‘Here’s what the book says, but here’s what’s real-life.’ That program really gave me the footwork to understand how things work in the hospitality industry. With their internships, you get the chance to actually take part in the industry.”
Hospitality Management
Loren Wesley
Assistant Event Services Manager, Hyatt Regency Houston
“I started cooking at the age of 12 and ever since have known I wanted to be a chef. I completed an internship at the Hyatt Regency Dallas while in high school, received an associate degree in Culinary Arts from El Centro and then earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel restaurant management from the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel Restaurant Management at the University of Houston.”
Culinary and Pastry Arts
Marc Cassel and Suzan Fries
Chefs/Proprietors, 20 Feet Seafood Joint
“We met while attending El Centro’s Food and Hospitality Institute over 20 years ago. Suzan and I now run our seafood joint on Peavy Road. El Centro helped us develop a stronger work ethic and apply what we learned.”
Culinary and Pastry Arts
Arti Desai
Agent, Ebby Halliday Realtors
“My instructors in the program always saw my potential, and the support they gave me went way beyond the teacher-student relationship. I never walked away from a single class with unanswered questions.”
Real Estate
Lisa Cooper
Program Manager, Allied PRA Dallas/Fort Worth
“Going to Richland was a great experience for me. I have made lasting friendships that have stood the test of time. MT and the HEEM program have created this lasting network that keeps expanding and connects so many of us. It's a great feeling.”
Business and Management
Rasheeda Gillis
Chef Educator, Cedar Hill High School
“Dallas College changed my life and belief in myself. I learned so much about striving for a college education and career and pushing through in spite of my family history.”
Culinary and Pastry Arts
Rami Coppock
Event Manager, J.Shay Event Solutions
“My HEEM courses gave me knowledge that I really needed, including ethics and communication skills for the industry. That training helps me to be more successful at my job and in my own business.”
Marketing
Josephine Maduagwu
Real Estate Broker
John Rob Real Estate Group
“As a student, being able to have access to professors who were knowledgeable and actually worked in the field was a rewarding experience in many ways. The opportunity to work alongside classmates and/or adjunct faculty was the best part of the Dallas College experience.”
Real Estate
Jennifer Kohl
Administrative Assistant
Highland Village Police Department
“My experience in the Management program was outstanding! I was able to complete the entire degree online while still getting the ‘classroom’ feel. The instructors were truly interested in my success and my implementation of the skills I was learning.”
Business and Management
Jeff Tarver
Food Service Manager, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital
“The training I received at El Centro has been invaluable in my 22-year career at the hospital. My advice for up-and-coming students considering a career in culinary arts: A degree from El Centro Food and Hospitality Institute will unlock an unlimited amount of doors, but it is up to you to step through them.”
Culinary and Pastry Arts
Israel Bazan
Costco Associate
“Even though I have spent 15 years working in retail in various leadership roles, the RMC program gave me new points of view and illustrated for me the reasons why many things are done.”
Business
Isaac Juarez
Ascender student
“Ascender has helped me come out of my shell, be more active on campus, and step outside my comfort zone. It has also allowed me to build meaningful connections and find inspiration. Through this journey, I have come to see my friends as my family.”
Business
Icela Robles
Realtor
Sandyland Estates Home Builders
“In the classes, I learned basically everything I needed to know to work in the real estate business: ethics, laws, guidelines, about the Texas Real Estate Commission — really, all that the business entails — through the Real Estate program.”
Real Estate
Gina Becerra
Program Services Assistant
Workforce Training
“I was nervous when I first started, but I soon felt comfortable and more confident in myself thanks to the instructors and staff in the BOSS program. They inspired me to try harder and to believe in myself. I feel prepared and ready for what comes my way, and I also know that there are people out there who truly care about me and others like me who want to get ahead in life.”
Business
Gilberto Tellez
Manager
Fernando’s Mexican Cuisine
“The best and most important thing is the knowledge I learned in Richland’s program. I’ve learned things that I know I will use someday in my career. I’ve learned a lot of things that I’ll be able to put into practice.”
International Business and Trade
Gary Jackson
Owner, GJAC Exports
Independent Missionary, Fire and Life International Ministries
“I looked at both two-year and four-year colleges, and this was the only one that had a true international business program. Other schools had a business degree with a foreign language component, but that wasn’t really what I wanted.”
International Business and Trade
Gary Holub
Transportation Manager
Tuesday Morning, Inc.
“My professors at Brookhaven were really outstanding. I especially enjoyed Mary Lou Avera’s classes. I’d go to her class on Monday nights and begin applying what I’d learned in class at work on Tuesday morning. I’d think, ‘This is real-world stuff that you can really use!’”
Business and Management
F. Scott Bauer
Property Owner
“The best part of my Dallas College education was having had the opportunity to gain an overview of the Texas-specific real estate arena under professor Redwine’s tutelage. It’s obvious that she knows her business, and I considered it an honor to learn from her wide array of experiences over many years of being in the real estate world.”
Real Estate
Eileen Jahn, CPS/CAP
Executive Assistant
Mattress Giant
“I really enjoyed my experience in the program. As an adult attending college for the first time, I felt very comfortable and not overwhelmed with a big campus atmosphere.”
Business
Dunia Borga
Founder and Chief Pastry Angel,
La Duni Restaurants
“The most beautiful feeling of being a pastry chef is that you become part of the most important memories of your guests. El Centro gave me the foundation to make those memories magical and in doing so helped me reach my dreams. I couldn’t have asked for a better education.”
Culinary and Pastry Arts
Launch Your Future with the School of Business, Hospitality and Global Trade
Discover a world of opportunity at the School of Business, Hospitality and Global Trade—where innovation meets real-world experience. Whether you're preparing to enter the workforce, planning to transfer to a four-year university, or looking to sharpen your skills, our programs are designed to help you thrive in today’s dynamic global economy.
With flexible learning options, industry-aligned credentials, and expert faculty, Dallas College empowers you to build a career in some of the most in-demand fields nationwide.