Hospitality Heralds
Issue #11 - Winter 2013
Notes from the Chair
Happy New Year to you all!
I trust you all had an enjoyable break and had the opportunity to re-connect with family and friends over the recent holiday period.
Things here at GVSU don’t slow down for long, and with just a week or two in, we are already busy with teaching, research, event planning and service related projects with our students. While the Michigan and national economies continue to rebound, we are ever mindful of the competitive employment market that currently exists for HTM majors. Therefore, we are continuously seeking ways to add value to our graduates to make them the most attractive candidates at interviews and job fairs when positions become available.
Click here for complete Notes from the Chair.
HTM Events in 2013
The Hospitality and Tourism Management Department has a lot of exciting and fun things planned for 2013! Be sure to check your e-mail, the HTM Facebook page, and HTM Twitter account
for reminders/invitations to the following upcoming events:
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Grand Rapids Griffins Hockey Game (April)
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Hospitality Summit (April)
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Spring Gala (April)
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HTM/KCLA Scholarship Golf Outing (June)
(Exact dates will be announced throughout the semester)
We look forward to seeing you at these events!
Students Attend First Professional Conference
Over 40 students this semester attended professional conferences including the Michigan Festival and Event Association, and the Michigan Restaurant Association, as part of a course assignment in HTM 253 - Convention Sales and Service. For most, this was the first professional conference they have attended. Their experiences included networking with professionals, attending educational sessions, and touring trade shows. The outcome for students was twofold: they evaluated the sales and service experiences within the convention as well as participated as an attendee to experience an industry convention.
Click here for complete story.
MIHT Research Center Partners with Porter Hills Retirement Community
The Hospitality and Tourism Management Department at Grand Valley State University established the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism (MIHT) Research Center to encourage, facilitate, and support the ongoing research efforts of faculty and students interested in this dynamic and growing field.
The MIHT (pronounced “mitt”), in partnership with Porter Hills Retirement Community, developed a training program designed to instill a culture of outstanding guest service among the staff at Porter Hills Retirement Community. The goal of the program was to provide employees with the skills necessary to deliver exceptional service in all areas of the organization to a variety of stakeholders.
Click here for complete story.
Faculty Profile: Michael Scantlebury, Ph.D.
Looking at the snow and feeling the cold, I shiver and think of my native Barbados where it is 85 degrees, with a cool breeze, blue skies, white sandy beaches, beautiful blue seas and brilliant sunshine. I ask, "why am I here in the frozen north again?" This is my third time living in the cold. First, I was in New York/New Jersey in the early 1990s, when I was the Barbados Tourism Authority’s US Marketing and Sales Manager. More recently 1999 to 2003, while working on my Ph.D. at the University of Waterloo, Ontario.
Click here for complete profile.
HTM Alumni Advisory Board Member Profile: Katie Nguyen
Why did you enter the hospitality field?
I always knew that I would not do well in a career where every day was the same. I need a fast-paced work environment and loved the idea that a degree in hospitality would give me just that.
What was your emphasis area at GVSU?
Meeting and Event Planning.
What was your first position upon graduation?
After graduating, I accepted a position as Sales Coordinator for the Courtyard and Fairfield Inn by Marriott of Ann Arbor.
Click here for complete profile.
HTM Students to Intern at Top Resorts this Summer
Scott Rood, HTM Assistant Chair and Assistant Professor, took four HTM students to the Resort and Commercial Recreation Association annual conference in Tampa, Florida, this past November. While at the conference, the HTM students interviewed with top resorts around the United States, and accepted positions for this coming summer. Click on the link below to read the full article from GVNow.
Click here for full GVNow article.
How Can a Single Tree be Important?
In May 2012, HTM Professor Charles Baker-Clark led another group of GVSU students to northern Italy on one of the Department’s annual study abroad programs. One of the experiences some participants had was associated with a tree planted on a small island located on Lake Maggiore (Lago Maggiore) north of Milan. Lake Maggiore is the home to a powerful family, Borromeo. Members of this family owned the three small islands on Lake Maggiore. One member of the family, Charles, was Bishop of Milan and has been named as a saint in the Catholic Church. His statue, the tallest of its kind in Europe, overlooks the lake.
Click here for complete story.
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