USC School of Hospitality and Tourism Management students Regan Lightfoot and Sophia Scimemi competed against peers from other top programs and brought home the People’s Choice Award in a nationwide competition.
The Collegiate Championship: Hotel Turnaround Competition was organized by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), the world’s largest group of its kind, and took place at the 2026 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in Philadelphia.
The industry-first competition challenges university students from across the country to step into the role of hotel owners, making real-world operational and investment decisions to turn around underperforming assets.
Twelve teams, representing 10 universities, competed. Teams navigated HOTELsim, a sophisticated simulation platform powered by Russell Partnership Technology, making decisions that mirror the daily challenges faced by AAHOA Members, including staffing, operations, marketing, and capital investments.
Each team began with a financially identical hotel operating in the same market with matching key performance indicators. Using HOTELsim, students implemented ownership strategies designed to enhance valuation, performance, and long-term profitability.
Lightfoot and Scimemi, coached by School of Hospitality and Tourism Management faculty members Charles Partlow and Wendy Addington, advanced to the final round based on financial performance and balanced scorecard operational results. They were joined by a team from Virginia Tech and two teams from Grand Valley State.
Finalists presented their simulated hotels as investment opportunities to a panel of academic and hotel industry professionals. The USC students won the People’s Choice Award, voted on by conference attendees. USC also finished in the top four in 2025.
“Our success in this competition has put us in the national spotlight as one of the top-tier schools in the areas of lodging and asset management,” Partlow says.
Lightfoot and Scimemi demonstrated knowledge of the hotel industry as well as asset management and real estate, all areas of focus in the widely respected School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
"The future of hospitality depends on preparing the next generation to think and lead like owners," says AAHOA Chairman Rahul Patel. "This competition pushes students to make strategic, data-driven decisions while understanding the real responsibilities that come with ownership. Their creativity, engagement, and business acumen are inspiring, and AAHOA is proud to support their journey into our industry."
Cornell, Florida International, Kennesaw State, Northwestern State, Oklahoma State, Temple and Houston also took part in the competition.
"This competition continues to showcase the exceptional talent emerging from hospitality programs across the country," says AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. "Watching these students collaborate, problem-solve, and think critically about ownership decisions is incredibly rewarding. AAHOA is committed to fostering future leaders who understand both the art and science of hotel ownership, and this program does exactly that."