On April 14, 2017, the Hospitality Business Fellows (HBF) from the Robert H. Smith School of Business visited the Hilton Worldwide corporate headquarters in McLean, Va. Hosts Kimo Kippen, chief learning officer, and Jasmyn Franklin, lead recruiter, introduced Tru by Hilton, the company’s newest brand, which targets millennials with stylish rooms, innovative lobbies and the latest technology.

On Nov. 28, 2016, students in the Smith Hospitality Business Fellows (HBF) at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business were honored to host Kimo Kippen, vice president of Global Workforce Initiatives at Hilton. Kimo, as he is known, gave a lively and engaging strategic overview of Hilton's business. Topics included Hilton's vision, mission and values; the company's diverse brand portfolio; and its pipeline of new hotels, which is the largest in the world.

The Hospitality Business Fellows (HBF) program at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business was launched on Aug. 29, 2016. The 15 students in Cohort 1 of the program welcomed to their first class five senior executives from Choice Hotels International, who spoke about the wide variety of career opportunities available in the hospitality industry.