Dean, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

We are pleased to announce Cynthia Mejia's appointment as the dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida.

A former department chair in Foodservice & Lodging Management, Dean Mejia is well-known to the Rosen community, which she joined as a faculty member in 2013, bringing with her 20 years of industry experience in food and beverage and hotel operations management, primarily working for luxury brands both in the U.S. and in Singapore. Her publications and areas of research include human resource management, cross-cultural organizational management, technology acceptance in hospitality organizations, green facilities management, empathy across the services industries, and hospitality education. Dr. Mejia is also involved in the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association where she has organized multiple industry-related events and coordinated outreach to high school students in the region regarding careers in hospitality and tourism. 

Dr. Mejia has led the Rosen College in an interim role since October and has done an exceptional job supporting students, faculty, and staff while also fostering industry partnerships that will help the college have an even greater impact in the community and on the hospitality management profession.

She’s co-chaired events and been involved in leadership forums, reflecting her commitment to the broader academic community. In the Summer of 2017, she co-instructed the first Rosen College study abroad program in China, introducing students to the food and societies of Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Xi’an.

Mejia received her PhD in Hospitality Administration from Texas Tech University, a master’s degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from California Polytechnic State University. In addition to this academic training, Dr. Mejia is also a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. 

Sean Farrell led this search along with Ivan Ceballos and Drew Chang.