The University of Utah announced Friday that the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation has made a $25 million donation to the university to create the J.W. Marriott Jr. Institute, which will provide hospitality education on campus.
“This institute isn’t going to be like the typical hospitality school. We aren’t going to teach you how to make beds and chop vegetables. This is a leadership opportunity,” said Deborah Marriott Harrison, trustee of the Marriott Foundation and daughter of J.W. Marriott.
The institute will focus on giving students from a variety of disciplines experiential and leadership opportunities to help them apply hospitality principles in any job they might pursue.
On Friday, over 200 people gathered at the J. Willard Marriott Library Plaza at the University of Utah for an event honoring J.W. “Bill” Marriott Jr. and to announce the new institute.
J.W. and multiple other members of his family, including his son and his brother, attended the University of Utah. J.W. was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity on campus, and during the event, a group of current Sigma Chi students took to the stage to sing “The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi.”
Many of the attendees were dressed in bright University of Utah crimson red for the event, which featured speakers from the Marriott Foundation and the University. J.W. Marriott himself also gave a few words.
“We are so excited to partner with the University of Utah to take on the next frontier in hospitality and leadership development,” David Marriott, chairman of the board for Marriott International and the son of J.W. Marriott, said Friday at a press conference on campus.
The mission of the J.W. Marriott Jr. Institute is to create a hospitality mindset across campus, according to University President Taylor Randall.
“The goal of this institute is to create a hospitality mindset across campus,” Randall said Friday. “Fundamentally, it is a mindset that puts people first.”
The institute will offer a range of programs, including global internships, leadership development, industry-sponsored projects, and campus-based hospitality training.
“The institute will allow students of all disciplines to develop an appreciation and understanding of the hospitality industry,” said Richard Marriott, who is chairman of the board of the Marriott Foundation and brother of J.W. Marriott.
Marc Brown will serve as the institute’s inaugural executive director.
Students will also be able to learn hospitality principles integrated into various academic fields, including business, health care, engineering, technology, design, and more.
“This is a fun business. I often tell people it’s a lot more fun than making toilet bowls,” J.W. said during the event.
Randall also shared that the idea of this new hospitality institute is a way to prepare the city for the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics and keep the focus on people.
In addition to celebrating the new institute, the speakers also praised and honored J.W. Marriott Jr.
During the event, he was presented with a formal declaration of recognition from Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. Although the governor was unable to attend, the declaration was presented by graduate students McKahll Strong and Will Gustave.
“This declaration is a reflection of the governor’s heartfelt appreciation and admiration for the contributions being honored here today,” Strong said.
The declaration officially recognized April 18 as J.W. Marriott Jr. Day.
“At its heart, Bill, was your legacy and how to honor you,” Randall said, addressing J.W. as he spoke about the institute.
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