Dr. W. Jinnings Burruss Jr. Joins UAPB as Assistant Professor of Food and Restaurant Management

Debbie Archer | School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences

Dr. W. Jinnings Burruss Jr. has been appointed as assistant professor of food service and restaurant management in the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Department of Human Sciences. In this role, he will teach courses in food service and restaurant management including quantity food production, food principles, elementary nutrition and social/cultural aspects of food. He will also be tasked with supervising interns, recruitment, retention, mentoring students, conducting research and providing service to the community and in the profession.

Dr. Burruss has spent 23 years in higher education. His most recent position was as lead hospitality faculty (department chair) at the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute for University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College. In addition to teaching classes, he was charged with realigning the hospitality management associate of applied science degree with Arkansas Department of Higher Education degree standards and requirements and with creating resort and gaming management and hospitality and dietary management focus areas.

He holds a doctor in education degree from Oklahoma State University, a master’s degree in family and consumer sciences from the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), and two bachelor’s degrees in home economics from UCA. 

Dr. Burruss has three City & Guilds Worldchefs educational certifications as a certified hospitality educator, certified executive chef and certified culinary educator. He is certified as a ServSafe manager and ServSafe instructor and registered examination proctor from the ServSafe National Restaurant Association. He is a member of the American Culinary Federation; International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education; Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education; and Phi Beta Delta. 

“Dr. Burruss brings a wealth of knowledge and diverse cultural learning experiences to the classroom,” Dr. Marilyn Bailey, interim chair, Department of Human Sciences, said. 

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.