FACULTY & STAFF
Notes
Dr. James Burke received three notable honors in one year BY MICHELLE ANDREWS
RIGHT: Dr. James Burke receives a citation from President Michael Ortiz during the 2011 Professor Emeritus presentation ceremony. LEFT: Burke and his wife, Susan Dowler, toast with Jim Collins at the Manor House.
PHOTOS BY TOM ZASADZINSKI
ACCOLADES
Aplenty
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It is not often you hear of an individual, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award, was inducted into their high school hall of fame and granted emeritus status at Cal Poly Pomona all in one year. However, 13-year Collins College veteran and tourism expert Dr. James Burke did just that. Burke received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Travel and Tourism Research Association in June 2010. The award recognizes his contributions to the global travel and tourism industry. He was inducted into his high school hall of fame in April and granted emeritus status in May. “I was pleasantly surprised,” Burke said humbly on receiving these awards. Burke is a consummate educator. His list of publications, service work and teaching accomplishments from his 33-year career in higher education, attest to that. He has developed graduate and undergraduate tourism and hospitality management programs and assisted in curriculum development at seven different universities across North America and Europe. Burke studied environmental biology and psychology at Dartmouth College, where he was a wide receiver and kicker on the football team. He also played lacrosse and rugby. He discovered an interest in hospitality when he went to work for Leo Burnett advertising in Chicago where he dealt exclusively with hospitality clients. His interest
was piqued again during his travels to national parks. He observed, with concern, how tourists abused the parks, and he wanted to find a way to reduce their negative impact. This concern influenced his research interests, his participation in professional associations and his role in university hospitality programs. He went on to earn two master’s degrees and a doctorate propelling his academic career as a scholar and a leader. Burke started at The Collins College in 1998, serving as dean until 2004. He oversaw the construction of two buildings, established and maintained major donor relationships, worked to recruit a competitive pool of diverse students, bolstered staff and faculty professional development – ultimately ushering the college through exponential growth. “As a dean, I had a vision of where I wanted our program to go,” he said. “I wanted to get The Collins College ranked in the top five. I knew my job was to provide the resources to do that.” In 2004, Burke returned to the classroom where he teaches marketing management and the Professional Work Experience course. He also continues consultation work and remains active with professional organizations. Dean Andy Feinstein and colleagues Gary Hamilton and Dr. John Self agree it has been a pleasure to work alongside Burke. “He has been a great friend,” Feinstein said. “Jim has provided me with valuable advice the entire time I have been at The Collins College.” Burke is gradually retiring, via the five-year Faculty Early Retirement Program. To Burke, his success has stemmed from a committed and passionate pursuit of excellence. His friend and colleague Dr. Peter Williams, director at the Center for Tourism Policy and Research at Simon Fraser University, may have said it best, “Burke stayed true to his mantra; he just did what he loved.”