Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management - History

History

Hilton College was founded in 1969, when James C. Taylor, who would become the first dean, presented Eric and Barron Hilton—sons of Conrad Hilton—with plans to build a hospitality school at the University of Houston. When they presented the plans to their father, Conrad Hilton contributed $1.5 million for the completion of the project. Classes began at Hilton College on Sept. 16, 1969, with 39 students and three professors. Taylor was named the first Dean.

The first class -- consisting of eight students, most of whom began their hospitality studies elsewhere at UH -- graduated from Hilton College in 1971.

In 1975, a new Hilton College facility opened, which included the Hilton University of Houston Hotel and Conference Center.

In 1983, the Hilton Foundation gave the college a $21.3-million grant to expand its facilities and increase endowment and operation support. That gift led to the construction of the South Wing, which opened in 1989 and added 94,000 square feet of education and meeting space to Hilton College.

In 2010, the Hilton University of Houston completed a $12.5-million renovation to upgrade its facilities and create an enhanced experiential-learning environment for the students of Hilton College. It was the first major renovation to the hotel since it opened in 1975.

Hilton College houses four hospitality-related research institutes, the Hospitality Hall of Honor, the Massad Family Library Research Center and the Hospitality Industry Archives.