Hospitality Management
B.S. (2012)
Marriott Vacations Worldwide (Orlando, Florida)
Customer Care Manager
I volunteer through work: Children’s Miracle Network events, A Gift for Teaching.
Yes. Rutgers University, New Brunswick Campus. My transition to UCF was easy--I started with a light load of credits. I would also encourage students to get involved in activities not school related.
I worked full time for my current employer. This was difficult to balance work and school with little personal time but I came out ahead of other students who didn’t work as much. I advanced quicker in leadership roles and was the Manager overseeing my college peers on more than one occasion.
My major was Hospitality Management, but I started out as Political Science. I was attracted to the ability to travel and work in beautiful places so I changed tracks.
I spent seven years in Resort Operations, eventually working on a regional level travelling the properties in Florida and the Caribbean region. Now, I am in a corporate position for the Customer Care department. I use my resort experience to help the owners with issues experienced on site.
Be single. Enjoy being young. Be friends with people moving at your pace and that have similar goals. If you have successful people around you, they will push you along when you need support. Travel as much as possible.
I would hire myself at 20 with knowledge that some growth was in the future. I am driven, but I needed to learn to be more humble.
I learned the most from visiting professionals in my classes. The real knowledge comes from someone who you want to emulate and seeing their path.
I appreciated how one of the women at the Women’s Hospitality & Tourism Leadership Forum was very confident in herself and didn’t let her age or gender hold her back. Confidence is half of the battle, and I highly believe in “fake it til you make it.”
Vicki Lavendol was a huge support—even now, four years after graduation. She made a huge impact on me with regards to professionalism and helping others with success. It is nice to have a cheerleader who is proud of your success, and she is one of the people who taught me to “pay it forward.”
I am most proud of taking charge of a group project that had a less than cohesive group. I showed myself I can lead a team and get results under pressure when time is limited.
I would have participated more in the organizations that were available. I wish I was in a sorority—something unrelated to school, but still an activity that created relationships. I am proud of the decision to work full time instead of getting too into the party scene. I am in a good place financially for my age, and I can enjoy vacations, which is why I am in this business to begin with.
Hospitality had mandatory internships for which I was able to use my current job. I am still working for my company, and I have gained connections and mentors, which are invaluable.
Working hard and letting people know what your goals are is important. People are willing to help those in whom they see potential – even if it’s just for the sake of them liking you. When you work hard, people notice, and you never know who will make a phone call and endorse you. Word of mouth and good impressions are half of your portfolio.