Students in the tourism management degree program at The University of Southern Mississippi got an exclusive tour of the IP Casino Resort Spa on Feb. 10, where they were taken to the most exclusive areas within casino, resort and restaurants.

The group of nearly 40 students and faculty were welcomed by the casino’s president and general manager Jon Lucas and vice president of marketing and player development Brad Rhines, who answered the students’ questions about the casino business.

Students were shown the resort’s luxurious presidential suite, the casino’s Asian-inspired restaurant Tien and granted special permission by the Mississippi Gaming Commission to enter the surveillance room.

“The tour was very informative and very thorough,” said student Brent Siebenkittel, a junior studying tourism management at both the Hattiesburg campus and Gulf Park campus in Long Beach. “All the employees had a smile on their face and made a good impression to students and potential future employees.”

Following the tour, students learned more about the Mississippi Gaming Commission from both the deputy directors and the director of enforcement for the commission. Deputy Director Eddie Williams explained to students the importance of keeping job options open.

“Don’t ever discount a particular job. Never close the door because you never know where you’re going to end up and you never know what you’re going to end up doing,” said Williams. “When you’re looking for employment, look at the total picture. You need to look at all the aspects of employment.”

Tourism management instructor Evelyn Kwan Green coordinated the tour with her classes and the casino. Green has coordinated many field trips and classes where her students have the opportunity to interact with industry professionals.

“The inside knowledge, the knowledge that the students gained today, you cannot get in textbooks,” said Green. “The individuals at this establishment deal with day-to-day information that is not necessarily shared information with the academic world.

“Unless these individuals write the textbooks themselves, then that information is not going to be found in the classroom. With the broad spectrum of the areas in casino operations, I think this is an opportunity where reality meets academics.”

For more information about the tourism management degree program at Southern Miss Gulf Coast, visit http://www.usm.edu/gulfcoast/business.

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About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi, founded in 1910, is a comprehensive doctoral and research-extensive university fulfilling its mission of being a leading university in engaging and empowering individuals to transform lives and communities. In a tradition of leadership for student development, Southern Miss is educating a 21st century work force providing intellectual capital, cultural enrichment and innovation to Mississippi and the world. Southern Miss is located in Hattiesburg, Miss., with an additional campus and teaching and research sites on the Mississippi Gulf Coast; further information is found at www.usm.edu/gulfcoast .