How SAIT’s globally ranked School of Hospitality and Tourism teaches human connection
Canada’s top hospitality school embodies excellence at all levels
Great hospitality is about the details — both big and small.
For Hala Dehais, Associate Dean, School of Hospitality and Tourism, it was a mocktail and a cocktail thoughtfully set out for her and her husband during their babymoon — an unexpected touch from the hotel that made a lasting impression.
For Scott Pohorelic, Associate Dean, School of Hospitality and Tourism (Culinary Arts), service recovery stories — like staff managing menus catching on fire and alarms going off, all while providing top-notch service — are his favourite examples of hospitality from his many years as a chef
A teddy bear left behind at a resort was reunited with its family, along with photos capturing its time spent soaking in the sunshine without them. The sweet story reminded James Overall, Dean, School of Hospitality and Tourism what great hospitality is all about. It happens when someone asks, “What if we created a uniquely special experience for the guest?”
At SAIT, instructors and leaders don’t just teach great hospitality — they live it.
In 2025, SAIT tops the CEOWORLD Magazine’s list of the Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools in the World, moving to 13 — from 14 in 2024 — and holding strong as the number one in Canada. The results are based on a survey conducted among 250,000 graduates, industry professionals, employers and recruiters, and institutions were ranked on a scale of one to 100 according to seven major metrics.
A list ranking is only one thing to consider when choosing a program and school, so we will show you why SAIT is a perfect choice to pursue a program in hospitality.
Leading by connecting
Leaders in the school, Overall, Dehais and Pohorelic ensure SAIT provides a learning environment to equip students for success, whether they pursue a future in the hospitality industry or find their calling elsewhere. Deans and Academic Chairs at SAIT are key players in curriculum development and industry, so students receive programming aligned with what you’ll find in the real world.
They also lead by example, showcasing human connection through their interactions with each other, like you can see. 👇
Teaching human connection starts with an instructor who embodies it. School of Hospitality and Tourism instructor Deanna Stringer has worked in the hospitality industry for many years and fosters a safe space for students to learn human connection at SAIT’s dining establishment, The Highwood.
Though not a SAIT grad herself, Stringer worked with many SAIT alumni and has seen firsthand how they exemplify the spirit of hospitality.
The Highwood is a hands-on living classroom where students in various hospitality and tourism programs work together. On the culinary side, Baking and Pastry Arts students might glaze an almond sponge cake filled with raspberry buttercream and a layer of chocolate ganache, while Culinary Arts students top a fire-roasted Margherita pizza with basil. Then, students from the Hospitality and Tourism programs carry plates over to the guests, who are already sipping cocktails crafted by students studying beverage management.
How to be extra (gluten) friendly
A group recently dined at The Highwood where their server, Hospitality and Tourism Management student Kezia Pasaribu,provided them with a memorable experience. When she learned one of the guests had celiac disease, she used her deep menu knowledge to guide the guest through the gluten-free options available.
“I was impressed with her knowledge about possible issues — like fries not being in a separate fryer — and options for menu items I could eat,” the guest wrote in an email to a SAIT academic advisor praising the service she received from Pasaribu.
Hospitality for me is about making others feel valued, welcomed and engaged. It’s not just about serving food. It’s about the way you serve it and the experience they have when you serve them,” she says.
Though she would label herself an introvert, Pasaribu watched her instructors Stringer and Jackie Cook interact with guests and learned how to approach hospitality with poise, kindness and authenticity.
When you learn it from the best, the skills are transferred to you,” she says.
She’s also learned the value of human connection from peers, who come from all over the world and bring diverse life experience, immersing her in unique perspectives.
Through them I’ve learned a lot about human connection, about feeling valued and respected by others. And I’ve also learned about resolving conflicts among others. At SAIT, we’re taught to see conflict not as a threat, but as an opportunity to pursue the truth.
Alongside her studies, Pasaribu is pursuing her own gluten-free brownie company, goodbake.She rents out a commercial kitchen to make her brownies, but receives support for her business endeavour from her peers and instructors, showing school can be paired with entrepreneurial pursuits.
Never too old to pivot
If you ask Patrick Creery to name instructors who teach the art of hospitality well, he’ll provide a thorough list.
“Every instructor in every class I have taken so far has taught me something about being hospitable or how to be more of a leader.”
After considering pursuing culinary arts three or four times throughout his life, Creery decided it was time to go back to school.
SAIT felt like a no-brainer.
“This is the place. This is where you need to come learn. Look, I’m a mature student. I’ve lived a life already, and I’ve learned a few things. I’ve been constantly blown away by the calibre and experience of the instructors.”
From competing in prestigious culinary competitions like The Bocuse d’Or, Food Network shows, to working with culinary legends, Creery’s instructors have done it, so he trusts he’s learning the skills he needs to become the best he can be.
The BIG question
SAIT has ranked highly once again, but how does the School of Hospitality and Tourism become number one in the world by scoring top marks in the CEOWORLD Magazine’s categories for learning, alumni network and entrepreneurship?
In many ways, it’s doing the things we’ve been doing for 75 years,” says Overall, pointing to a long history of success.
This year, the School of Hospitality and Tourism is celebrating its anniversary and looking forward to a future where students know they’ll be equipped to embrace hospitality, no matter how the field or their career evolves. One thing’s for sure — the future’s bright. A refresh of The Highwood is coming soon, and leaders at the school are working to enhance the learner experience with new teaching spaces and opportunities to connect with an ever-evolving industry.
Take these main points to go
- Great hospitality is about providing memorable experiences and anticipating guests’ needs.
- Living classrooms at SAIT allow students to connect with each other. They include The Highwood, the 4Nines Dining Centre, the Butchery, Destinations and The Tastemarket.
- Students receive the opportunity to jump into the world of work before they graduate, with work-integrated learning opportunities at globally-renowned organizations.
- Six UNESCO Heritage Sites surround Calgary, with Banff National Park and Lake Louise only a stone’s throw away. The city also boasts the Calgary Stampede, which brings folks in from all walks of life. These tourist attractions make Calgary a great place to find work in the hospitality sector.
Learn the art of human connection
Build your own future centered on people by learning the art of hospitality at SAIT.
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Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.
SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.