Sandy Strick

Sandy K. Strick, a graduate of Purdue University, has been on the faculty of the School of Hospitality and Tourism at the University of South Carolina for more than 20 years and took over as interim director for the school in July 2024. Strick has previous experience leading the school having been its chair for five years. She also serves as director of the Wine and Beverage Institute at USC.

She teaches Wine and Spirits, Meeting Planning and Multicultural Human Resources courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Strick has dedicated a significant portion of her professional effort toward the improvement of hospitality education through her work with the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Education where she ha,s among other positions, served two terms as commission chair, and continues to participate actively in accreditation site visits. Strick is also a certified hospitality educator with the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Strick is a certified wine specialist. She is active in the Society of Wine Educators where she has been an instructor for several of their classes and serves on the society’s educational advisory board. Strick is the founding director of the Wine and Beverage Institute at Carolina. The institute is dedicated to wine and beverage education in the Columbia community. Through the institute, Strick teaches a variety of wine courses to include Wine 101, Bordeaux, Rose, and Sparkling Wines and Champagnes. For the past several years, she has participated in the Banfi Scholarship Tour that provides students and faculty with a Tuscan food and wine experience.