FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management online auction to fund student scholarships

The Chaplin School of  Hospitality & Tourism Management opened bidding today for its third annual FIU Hospitality Online Auction, which raises funds for student scholarships.

Sponsored by Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, one of the world’s largest cruise lines, the auction features luxury travel packages such as cruises, hotel stays and entertainment. It is open to the public and will run until Sept. 30, 2012 at biddingforgood.com/ fiuhtm.

The money raised will benefit the school’s scholarship programs and student teaching assistantships. In its first two years, the auction raised more than $85,000.

“With the scholarships we fund through our annual auction we help students achieve their dreams of pursuing careers in hospitality management, a vital industry for South Florida,” said Mike Hampton, dean of the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. “We thank all of our supporters, particularly Carnival Cruise Lines as well as our dedicated industry partners and alumni for their generosity.”

More than 100 coveted auction items are available for bidding, ranging in price from $100 to about $12,000 including:

• A seven-day Carnival Cruise for two, visiting beautiful ports throughout the Caribbean.
• Hotel stays in some of the most sought-after destinations in the world such as The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, China and The Ritz-Carlton Sanya, Hainan, China  Elite Island Resorts, St. Lucia and Antigua; and the Waldorf-Astoria New York City.
• Dinner at the Four Seasons Miami  is also up for auction.
• “Sicily is the Key to Everything” a 15-day Voyage to Antiquities cruise tour for two, including two nights in Rome, Italy, and select shore excursions. Cruise departs from Athens, Greece.
• A seven-day spa vacation experience valued at $7,500 from Rancho La Puerta, voted the World’s Best Destination Spa by Travel + Leisure readers’ poll and other industry sources.
• Fontainebleau BleauLive concert event experience over Thanksgiving 2012, with extra features not available to the public.

Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines

For more information and updates, visit biddingforgood.com/fiuhtm, the auction’s Facebook page at facebook.com/fiuhospitalityauction or follow @FIUhtmauction on Twitter.