Spirit of Hospitality Summit Expands Industry-Academia Connections with Focus on Innovation and Workforce Development

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s White Lodging–J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management brought together industry leaders, alumni, faculty and students October 22–23 for the 2025 Spirit of Hospitality Summit, a two-day program of keynotes, panels, hands-on workshops and networking designed to explore the future of service industries and prepare the next generation of hospitality professionals.

Held at Purdue’s Stewart Center, the summit continued its tradition as a premier gathering for hospitality, tourism, retail, sales, and financial planning professionals. The event offered attendees immersive sessions focused on experience innovation, digital transformation, customer engagement, sustainability, and advancements in hospitality strategy.

Building on several years of growth, the 2025 summit framed discussions around cross-cutting priorities, such as: experience design and guest engagement, technology and AI in operations, sustainability and social responsibility, and talent pipeline development. Sessions mixed strategic presentations with practical workshops so attendees could both debate big ideas, for example, ethical questions around AI in guest services, and take-home operational tactics for immediate application.

Program highlights and speakers

The summit’s agenda included a slate of keynote presentations and more than two dozen concurrent sessions covering legal, strategic and operational aspects of today’s industry.

Industry partners and alumni were visible across the schedule and sponsorship from local and national partners helped underwrite student participation and networking events.

Formats and topics that drew attention

Attendees responded particularly to sessions that blended technology and human-centered service design; for example, workshops that examined where AI can augment guest personalization without degrading service authenticity, and case studies on sustainable operations that reduce costs while meeting guest expectations. The summit program emphasized actionable takeaways: toolkits for managers, templates for sustainable purchasing, and frameworks for inclusive hiring practices.

The 2025 agenda featured distinguished keynote speakers, including Shelley Brown, an international speaker known for her rebel leadership and inclusion work; Jeremy Warriner, advocate and founder of Walking Spirit Therapies; and Patti Simpson, Chief Administrative Officer of Union Square Hospitality. A capstone address was delivered by Josh Keller, CEO & Managing Partner of Blue Canyon Hospitality.

Indianapolis Panel Discussion: Cross-Sector Collaboration for Exceptional Visitor Experiences

A flagship plenary panel at this year’s Spirit of Hospitality Summit focused on how Indianapolis has become a national model for cross-sector innovation in visitor experience design. Moderated as part of the summit’s Wednesday afternoon programming, the session, titled “Building the Ultimate Guest Experience: Lessons from Indy’s Cross-Sector Innovation,” brought together senior leaders from key organizations shaping how visitors engage with one of Indiana’s largest cities.

Panelists included:

  • Jeff Robinson, Managing Director of Marketing, Visit Indy
  • Megan Carrico, Senior Director of Public Affairs, Indianapolis Airport Authority
  • Celeste Ballou, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Indiana Sports Corp.
  • Sarah Olivero, Executive Director, Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association
  • Meg Storrow, President, Mass Ave Merchants Association .

Together, these leaders highlighted how collaboration across tourism, transportation, sports, lodging and commerce has created a more seamless and dynamic experience for visitors – from the moment they land at the airport through dining and entertainment districts. Speakers emphasized strategic partnerships that align destination branding with operational execution, from coordinated events calendars to unified marketing efforts and enhanced digital wayfinding.

A core theme of the discussion was connecting experience touchpoints across sectors. Panelists described joint initiatives to support consistent messaging and quality standards for services throughout the city – an effort that increasingly draws conventions, leisure travelers and repeat visitors alike. This city-wide approach not only enhances guest satisfaction but also strengthens workforce recruitment and retention by showcasing Indianapolis as a vibrant place to live and work.

The discussion added fresh excitement to the collaboration opportunities awaiting Purdue HTM as the school prepares to expand to Indianapolis in Fall 2026, underscoring the deep industry engagement and cross-sector partnerships that will shape the program’s future presence in the city.

Attendees responded to the Indianapolis panel as a valuable case study in real-world hospitality leadership, noting how cross-sector alignment can elevate both economic impact and visitor loyalty – insights that resonated with students poised to enter an evolving service economy.

Impact and next steps

Organizers framed the 2025 summit as part of a longer effort to position Purdue HTM as a convening hub for hospitality, retail, financial planning and sales disciplines, what the school calls its Experience Engineers approach to service education. By pairing cutting-edge industry content with hands-on career supports, the event aims to accelerate students’ transition into the workforce while giving employers a pipeline of graduates who understand both the operational and experiential sides of modern service businesses.