The Gina and Frank Day Leadership Academy (DLA) is built on a fundamental belief: The best leaders in hospitality are already working in the industry. They have the experience, the dedication, and the grit—they just need the right pathway to career advancement.
The DLA bridges the gap. It delivers accessible, affordable, and highly relevant leadership training designed to expand skills and accelerate careers for those who are looking for educational pathways besides the traditional four-year degree.
We are carrying forward the legacy of inclusive leadership, embodied by hospitality industry giant Frank Day, by making education pathways accessible and affordable—building a stronger, more equitable industry from the ground up.
“The way to achieve your goal is to make it the goal of others. Leadership is the key to success.” (Frank Day)
Service Excellence in the Hospitality Industry
Boost your expertise in service excellence on your schedule. This self-paced online course offers practical solutions across key areas, including Service Recovery, Experience Management, and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Practices. Earn your industry badge in as little as 20-30 hours. The program duration is 5 weeks (recommended) up to 6 months.
Total cost: $500.
This course will introduce participants to core AI concepts and will explore their practical applications across lodging, food and beverage, travel, and event sectors. Through engaging case studies and real-world examples, students will analyze how AI enables personalized guest experiences and supports data-informed decision-making.
This course equips working restaurant professionals with practical, evidence-based techniques to diagnose and improve menu profitability. It is aimed at current and aspiring restaurant operators, food-and-beverage managers, chefs, and analysts who need practical, spreadsheet-based tools to improve menu profitability across on-premises and off-premises channels.
This course empowers hospitality professionals to discover and communicate their organization’s unique story. Through real-world examples, interactive exercises, and applied projects, participants will learn how to design and market authentic brand stories that attract guests, build loyalty, and set their business apart in a crowded marketplace.
The Day Leadership Academy (DLA) partners with corporations, non-profits, and small to medium-sized businesses to design custom professional development programs that build essential hospitality and tourism skills. Each program is tailored to meet your organization’s specific goals and training needs.
We proudly facilitate leadership training for Sage Hospitality through the Sage Foundation Scholarship Initiative. This course covers hotel operations, food and beverage, and event management, blending theory with practical case studies to strengthen leadership and operational excellence.
Participant Testimonials
“I use it (what I learned) on a daily basis.”
“It has really given me an opportunity to connect both operational side and accounting side in the hospitality industry.”
The DLA offers flexible online and in-person training to meet immediate workforce development needs. Recent partnerships include the Headwaters Center, where we delivered responsible alcohol vending and food safety certifications to hospitality professionals across Grand County—supporting our mountain community partners.
Located in the Hospitality Learning Center (HLC)
Address: 1190B Auraria Parkway Room 209
Email Us Today For More Information
School of Hospitality
PO Box 173362
Campus Box 60
Denver, CO 80217-3362
We’d love to answer your questions — reach out anytime!
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.msudenver.edu/dla
We aim to respond within 24 business hours!
Office hours:
Monday–Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
