The family behind one of America’s biggest hotel fortunes is donating $25 million to the University of Utah, to give students the skills and experience to help them excel in the hospitality industry.
The donation from the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation will go to create the J.W. Marriott Jr. Institute. The institute is named for the chairman emeritus of Marriott International, the corporation that owns the Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, Ritz-Carlton and other hotel chains.
The 93-year-old Marriott, known as “Bill,” was on hand for the announcement Friday at the U., his alma mater.
Bill’s son, current Marriott International board chair David Marriott, said the new program is meant to help students with what they need to excel in careers at restaurants, cruise ships “and the like.” David Marriott is also one of the foundation’s trustees.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Richard Marriott, left, greets his brother Bill Marriott before a ceremony announcing the creation of the J.W. Marriott Institute for hospitality at the University of Utah, Friday, April 18, 2025.
“Everyone should know that hospitality is a lot more than flipping hamburgers,” said Richard Marriott, the foundation’s chairman of the board and the board chair of Host Hotels and Resorts — and Bill’s brother.
Hospitality, Richard Marriott said, stretches across many industries — something U. President Taylor Randall said the institute wants to emphasize.
A schedule to build the institute’s headquarters is uncertain, Randall said.
Asked about how the new institute’s funding can be sustained as Utah universities are facing budget cuts, Randall said the Marriott donation is enough to get the hospitality program running — and he said he believes more donations will follow.
Randall said the U. is working to build “college town magic” in preparation for the 2034 Winter Olympics, and part of that effort is to make a hospitable environment on campus. The new institute, he said, will stand out from other programs due to its “interdisciplinary nature” and “hospitality mindset” meant to encompass the whole campus.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) J.W. "Bill" Marriott Jr. makes remarks during a ceremony announcing the creation of the J.W. Marriott Jr. Institute for hospitality at the University of Utah, Friday, April 18, 2025.
Eventually, according to a news release from the U., the institute will offer global internship opportunities and leadership development through hospitality training and opportunities. The institute will be led by director Marc Brown, who previously worked in Utah Valley University’s hospitality program.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared Friday “J.W. Marriott Day” in Utah. Cox did not attend the event, and students read the proclamation in his absence.
Current members of the U.’s Sigma Chi fraternity sang a frat song to Bill, a Sigma Chi alum, seemingly in every key at the same time.
“Do not quit your day job,” Richard told them, while assuring them they would have a great job in hospitality one day.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Bill Marriott, right, makes remarks during a ceremony announcing the creation of the J.W. Marriott Institute for hospitality at the University of Utah, Friday, April 18, 2025. At left is his wife, Donna Garff Marriott.
Bill Marriott talked talked about how before he decided on attending the U., his dad told him definitively that that’s where he would go to college “to find a Mormon wife.”
Bill’s wife, Donna Garff Marriott, sat next to Bill during Friday’s event. The couple are set to celebrate their 70th anniversary in June.
Coming to the U., Bill Marriott said in reflection, was the right decision. “This is a great place of opportunity,” he said.
Subscribe To Top Stories Newsletter
Get the latest news by subscribing to our Top Stories newsletter. Enter your email below to receive more stories like these right to your inbox.
