By: Daniel Cherrin
In Detroit less than a year and Cleary University is already expanding its footprint in Detroit’s northend neighborhood along Woodward Ave and on the Q line.
The university recently announced the expansion of programs offered at their Detroit Education Center that now includes an accredited hospitality program and culinary arts.
Founded in 1883, in Ypsilanti, Cleary University is an independent, not-for-profit university, providing practical, project-based education enabling an immediate alumni contribution to employers, families, and communities. “We develop educational programs around the needs of local employers,” said Jayson Boyers, President and CEO of Cleary Unviersity.
President Boyers grew up in Defiance, Ohio, just southwest of Toledo. As a child he spent a lot of time in Detroit with his family and when he moved to Michigan to lead Cleary Univeresity, he saw an immediate opportuntiy to be a part of Detroit’s growth and share that experience with his students.
“Based in Livingston County, Cleary is still very much apart of Detroit and Southeast Michigan,” Boyers said. “Offering classes in Detroit enriches the student’s college experience.” Cleary’s Detroit Education Center opened in 2016 in partnership with The Historic Little Rock Baptist Church and is located in the City’s North End neighborhood.
The program, lef by Chef Jeff Bane, features a state-of-the-art training kitchen where students can put their new skills into practice will support the new curriculum. It will feature more than 2,200 sq. ft. of instruction space and the latest commercial equipment to provide students with hands on experience required to thrive in today’s demadning hospitality industry.
Boyers, who has previous experience in running culinary programs, saw an opportunity to fill a void in the region where he saw a need for jobs in the hospitality industry. With The District Detroit now open for business and new restuarants and hotels emerging, he saw the opportunity to bring these programs into the city for students to gain the culinary skills necessary to find success in the kitchen. In addition, the courses that will be offered at Cleary’s Detroit campus also will bolster the students business acumen, not only in the kitchen, but in growing a business.
“Detroit is home to world-class entertainment venues and award-winning restaurants. As Detroit’s food scene continues to grow and evolve from casinos to stadiums to cafes, Cleary is committed to ensuring that students are prepared in and outside of the kitchen to find success,” Boyers said.
In addition to the Associate and Bachelor programs in variety of business-related disciplines, including management and entrepreneurship available at the Detroit campus, Cleary University will offer the following culinary-related Associate Degree Programs as part of the program expansion:
- Food Service Management
- Hospitality Business Management
- Business with Hospitality Concentration
- Culinary Management
In addition, Cleary offers additonal courses at their Detroit campus. One-year certification programs include:
- Business leadership
- Entrepreneurship
- Human resource management
- Marketing
- Project management
- Supply chain management
Cleary University also offers “stackable credentials” which will allow students at the campus to build upon each class and credit to work toward a degree program. Degree programs offered at the site include:
- Business Management
- Accounting/Finance
- Marketing
- Health Care Management
- Event, Sport and Promotion management
Students can enroll now for the Cleary Culinary Academy with classes beginning October 30, 2017. Learn more at Cleary.edu/Detroit or call (877) 332-1712.