In Pr. George's, Learning to Put Smile in 'Service With a Smile'

Gaylord officials said they vet the best for their companies. They call them "Stars," people who exhibit a "smile, teamwork, attitude, reliability and service with a passion."

The company will hold a massive hiring event in January, with plans to hire 2,000 full-time, part-time and on-call employees. To help produce a few of those "Stars," Suga said Gaylord's vice president of "Star culture" is advising the Hospitality and Tourism Institute at the college.

Gaylord National officials have also made trips to Morgan State University in Baltimore and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where some county residents are enrolled in hospitality courses, to make them aware of future job opportunities.

Johnson said he wants county residents to be prepared when Gaylord National opens in April.

"We have to get our young people willing to work," he said. "Gaylord will have a high standard."

And right now, Turner said, many restaurant employees in the county might not meet it, mainly because some managers are not teaching it. If the managers are poorly trained, the employees will be poorly trained, too. The result, Turner said, is bad service.

"I am hopeful that we will see an improved level of service" because of the institute, he said.

In his Introduction to Hospitality Industry class, Hengst heard from students about their own experiences at restaurants in the county.

"Some of these places, they don't want to give you the service, but they want their 20 percent tip," said one student. "You can almost feel it. It's getting so ugly."

Randall Downing, a student from Fort Washington who works at a local restaurant and wants an internship with Gaylord National, said it's easy to identify a good server.

"I'm a good server," he said, adding that he knows that he is a step above some of his colleagues because there are times when he makes between $15 and $20 an hour based on the service he's given customers.

Hengst's point precisely.

"Service is given," he said. "But hospitality is felt."