FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. Launch of New Spirits Education Program

MIAMI, June 12, 2020 /3BL Media/ – FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management through its new Bacardi Center of Excellence, a unique educational program tailored for students who are interested in careers in the spirits industry, is offering its first learning opportunity, BacardiTeach.

BacardiTeach is open to students, hospitality industry workers who were laid off or lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and others interested in learning about fine spirits and pathways to entrepreneurship. Hundreds of students have already signed up for BacardiTeach courses such as Introduction to Rum and Introduction to Tequila. During the economic downtown, FIU is offering select courses for free until Dec. 31 as part of its recovery efforts.

"BacardiTeach offers advanced learning opportunities for beverage professionals and individuals wanting to learn more about the global spirits world," said Brian Connors, interim director of the Bacardi Center of Excellence. "In the future, it will utilize both web-based and in-person learning to help spirits entrepreneurs launch new businesses and create new spirits startups with more ease and professional structure."

Because of social distancing measures, all the courses are online for the summer. The seven initial introductory courses - each covering a different spirit - includes history and other information. Once the student finishes the course, they take a test. If they pass the test, they earn a badge. Students can earn a badge by passing the test at the end of each course. Students who earn at least five badges receive a certificate of completion.  

"BacardiTeach has been a great program for me during this quarantine," said Rebecca Bohigas, FIU Chaplin School student. "I have been wanting to learn more about spirits and this program popped up at the perfect time."

The program is part of a $5 million gift by Bacardi to the Chaplin School made back in February through FIU's Next Horizon campaign, which helped create the Chaplin School's spirits management major - a first of its kind.

"Bacardi is proud to be a part of developing the future hospitality and tourism talent through our partnership with FIU," said Pete Carr, President of Bacardi North America. "Love for our iconic brands has been built in bars and restaurants across the globe and this program helps us give back to an industry that has been part of our 158-year-old story."

FIU Chaplin School's Bacardi Center of Excellence also will provide student scholarship opportunities and promote community events through CasaCuba and at the Chaplin School.

"BacardiTeach is just the first of many innovative learning opportunities we're offering our students and the community to elevate their spirits knowledge, which they can use to better their career," said Michael Cheng, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management dean. "We're so excited and we hope everyone, especially those affected by the pandemic, will take advantage of this amazing opportunity."

For more information, please visit the BacardiTeach website for a complete list of beverage course offerings.

About Bacardi Limited:
Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. Founded more than 158 years ago, in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 7,000, operates more than 20 production facilities, including bottling, distilling and manufacturing sites in 11 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on LinkedIn @Bacardi or Instagram @BacardiLimited1862.

About the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management: 
Florida International University's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management is distinguished as one of the top hospitality programs in the United States and the world. It is ranked in the top 50 globally, #1 for its online program, #1 in the Southeast region of the U.S., and it is best in value. More than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students from across the nation and around the globe choose FIU for its outstanding reputation, advantageous campus locations in Miami, expert faculty, rich curriculum and fast-track career opportunities in the international hotel, foodservice and tourism industries. In August 2006 FIU unveiled the first U.S. school of hospitality and tourism in Tianjin, China. The Marriott Tianjin China Program, ranked top 3 in China, is FIU's largest international program, with a capacity for up to 1,000 students. For more information about Florida International University's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, visit http://hospitality.fiu.edu/.

About CasaCuba:
CasaCuba at Florida International University is bringing together scholars, policymakers, business leaders, students, and the community at large to realize a multidimensional Cuban cultural center and think tank that facilitates the discussion and study of Cuban affairs - history, policy, business - and the celebration of Cuban heritage. CasaCuba has attracted influential board members, recruited a uniquely qualified team, secured a prominent site on the FIU campus, and received significant philanthropic support, including prestigious grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. CasaCuba will feature galleries for interactive exhibits, as well as a state-of-the-art venue for events, performances, and dynamic programming. For more information: CasaCuba.FIU.edu

About FIU:

Florida International University is Miami’s public research university, focused on student success. According to U.S. News and World Report, FIU has 44 top-50 rankings in the nation among public universities. FIU is a top U.S. research university (R1), with more than $200 million in annual expenditures. FIU ranks 15th in the nation among public universities for patent production, which drives innovation, and is one of the institutions that helps make Florida the top state for higher education. The Next Horizon fundraising campaign is furthering FIU’s commitment to providing students Worlds Ahead opportunities. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centers, and supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA, with more than 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. The university has awarded more than 330,000 degrees to many leaders in South Florida and beyond. For more information about FIU, visit www.fiu.edu.