Human Resource Strategies to Attract and Retain Talent Within Evergreen Valley University Hospitality Department

This case study explores the challenges faced by Evergreen Valley University’s Hospitality Management Department in attracting and retaining students amid declining enrollments. Beyond enrollment decline, the case also examines how curriculum relevance, post-COVID industry shifts, and digital transformation pressures shape students’ decisions to enter or leave hospitality programs. It analyzes how Generation Z and Alpha students influence educational expectations and career aspirations within evolving relationships among academic institutions, industry demands, and student stakeholders through Stakeholder Theory and Generational Theory. Sustainability perspectives grounded in the Triple Bottom Line Approach further contextualize program adaptation and address contemporary industry challenges. Post-COVID-19 digital transformation exposes a growing disconnect between traditional curricula and industry competencies. The case illustrates that effective talent retention integrates hospitality foundations with technological innovation, sustainability, and experiential learning, highlighting the need for holistic industry–academia collaboration and curriculum modernization to better prepare students for the evolving hospitality workforce.