Monroe College has appointed Carol Durst as chair of the college’s burgeoning Department of Hospitality Management and the Culinary Arts. Ms. Durst has been an Adjunct Professor at NYU, NY City College of Technology and Kingsborough Community College and she currently chairs the Mentoring Program of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs Professional Association.

She was the first Director of the New School’s New Restaurant School, former owner of the New American Catering Corporation, Coordinator of the NY State Department of Labor’s Displaced Homemaker program, and most recently,

"Ms. Durst brings an enormous amount of industry and academic experience to Monroe College," said Associate Academic Dean Carol Genese. "As a result, she’ll be able to enhance our students’ ability to establish professional relationships early on, which will help launch careers as hospitality and food professionals."

"Lots of students talk about a job as their goal," Ms. Durst said, "but the real bottom line for Monroe students will be long-range careers. With our hands-on programs, they’ll be developing building block skills so our graduates will be able to grow, change, and advance as the industry develops around them."

Ms. Durst is a doctoral candidate at The Union Institute. She holds a Master’s Degree in Adult Education and College Counseling from Columbia University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Kirkland (Hamilton) College, and certificates with honors from the New York Restaurant School and professional wine training.

Monroe’s program in Hospitality Management and the Culinary Arts is open to students in both the Bronx and New Rochelle campuses. Hospitality students serve internships in a variety of hospitality venues throughout the metropolitan area. The culinary program is taught at in professional state-of-the-art kitchens housed in an upscale restaurant, Macmenamin’s Grill, at 115 Cedar Street, in New Rochelle, NY.

For an application or more information about Hospitality Management and the Culinary Arts, or any of Monroe’s programs, call 800-55-MONROE or visit www.monroecollege.edu . Financial aid is available for eligible students.