Living in Orlando, I am surrounded by hospitality. That, paired with the fact that I’m a xenophile, meant that I’d find a career in hospitality management fulfilling and worthwhile. The goal isn’t only self-success, but to contribute to innovations within the industry, like environmental sustainability and supporting the well-being of hospitality workers. Most importantly, I want to foster diversity and inclusion within everything I do! Our carbon footprint has increasingly contributed to global warming and other harmful environmental consequences and the market has seen an upwards trend in consumers wanting products and services that are sustainable. Regardless of this trend, having a commitment to green practices within the hospitality industry should be of utmost importance and can be seen with lodging properties having the opportunity to showcase certifications such as the Green Seal. It’s incredible that we can already see this change being implemented by having restaurants use biodegradable straws and by having hotel rooms use sensory lighting technology to reduce the amount of electricity being used. On my journey to becoming a leader within the lodging sector, I wish to work with companies that value sustainability and ethical practices and wish to continue the transformation towards reducing waste, sourcing local and organic resources, and conserving water etc. It can become tough to prioritize our well-being when we become focused on creating lasting memories and top-notch service. Poor guest interactions may also contribute to high stress levels. That’s why offering health and wellness programs like access to counseling services and having an open-door policy as a manager are crucial for creating safe work environments. Furthermore, recognizing and appreciating workers for all that they do can boost morale and motivation, which in turn will have a positive impact on the guest experience. By prioritizing the physical, mental, and emotional health of hospitality workers, a harmonious work culture can be cultivated, along with an improvement in employee satisfaction and retention rates. One of the privileges we get working in our field is getting to meet people from all around the world – whether it be guests or coworkers. When interacting with people from so many different cultures that may have different perspectives or ways of doing something, it’s vital to have an open mind and be respectful. Offering training programs for employees to educate them about cultural sensitivity and appreciation can empower employees to create an inclusive workplace. Additionally, being knowledgeable about different cultural practices contributes to creating a great first impression for guests. Overall, by fostering diversity we take closer steps to building a more peaceful and friendly world.

For the longest time, success to me has always meant doing well in your career and financially. This would lead to a stable life and disposable income that can give me the opportunity to travel. It would also let me take care of my parents so they could retire. To set myself up for this type of success, I immediately got a job at a hotel and took courses that were specific to my anticipated major of hospitality management to ensure an impressive resume in my junior year of high school. At that time, it didn’t matter that there were more fulfilling ways to perceive life and success. I had my opinions and I was sticking to a particular plan to achieve my goal. Now having experienced more life during my first year of college, my priorities have shifted quite a bit. I am proud of myself for participating in an internship that was directed for juniors, seniors, and graduate students, and being in it seems like I am still stuck in my old mindset. However, developing my hotel operation skills through rotating the different departments has opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. I would have never seen a future career in housekeeping management, but interacting with the housekeepers and housemen made me excited at the idea of being able to support their needs. Through my mentorship, I have also seen positions that have piqued my interest and will allow me to grow my knowledge laterally instead of upwards all the time. Changing my perspective of not needing to move up so quickly, while still gaining insightful intelligence to reach my end goal of being a general manager put into focus other areas of my life I should concentrate on as well. While I am hoping for a supervisory or managerial role after this internship and I am still striving for a fruitful career, I am not so focused on needing everything to happen so quickly. I should be prioritizing time for myself to rewind and partake in activities I enjoy, such as reading, going to the gym, spending time with friends and family, and strengthening my cooking skills. I would also like to spend more time nurturing my relationships because what is success without being able to share it with loved ones in our life? Having a good work – life balance will ensure all parts of my life are successful and that I can truly enjoy the life I am given. I live by the saying, “Work hard, play hard,” because it keeps me grounded, but also reminds me not to take life so seriously all the time. I can keep my Type A personality that gives me characteristics like high achievement, ambitiousness, organization, and discipline to help me succeed while still working towards being more mindful of my mental health. Success looks good when you are happy, so as long as I keep doing the things that make me feel fulfilled, I am living life right. This scholarship opportunity would help me achieve my version of success by taking a significant amount of worry and stress away from the financials that go along with getting a college degree. I would be able to put my earnings from my job into savings to have enough saved up for other big life events such as buying a house. I'll be able to truly appreciate and experience my college career by balancing school-work and spending time with friends and family!

From a young age, I’ve been exposed to hospitable behavior. My parents helped me adapt to a new country when they adopted me at two years old, and have ingrained morals to treat everyone with kindness. It’s the least I can do to pursue a degree in hospitality management and excel, so I can show my appreciation for all they have done for me. Yet, the cost of college has only increased and with my parents being in their sixties and ready to retire, we're no longer in the financial capacity to afford college. Having the opportunity to be considered for this scholarship, it’ll help fund my housing and textbook costs. This aid will ensure that I’m close to the heart of Orlando where the opportunities for this field are endless. My interest in the hospitality field sparked early on. Meeting Cinderella for the first time when I was four years old was an awestruck moment. I’ll never forget the blue, sparkly hue of her dress or how her shoes and necklace glimmered! Not to mention that her bun was meticulously styled on her head, along with perfectly curled tendrils framing her face. When it was my turn to meet her, she immediately complimented the dress I was wearing, as I was wearing an identical blue, sparkly dress with my hair recently done at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. The experience was just magical and is most definitely one of the reasons my parents chose to be returning guests at the Disney World theme parks and hotels. Realizing she was actually a Disney cast member who made my dreams come true stemmed an interest in finding a career where I could do that. After doing some research on the hospitality industry, I immediately knew that was the career for me! I have always been a xenophile and have loved helping people around me, so I knew a career catered towards making unforgettable memories for those on vacation would be right up my alley. My ability to empathize with others and negotiate issues will be beneficial when handling unsatisfied guests. Furthermore, understanding the mechanics of consumerism will enable me to strategically implement models that will exceed a customer’s expectations. There’s a lot of knowledge that goes along with this field and I’m ready to expand and strengthen the skills I already possess. This exposure to all the aspects that make up the hospitality industry led me to take on a job at the Signia by Hilton during my junior year. Getting to interact with guests and seeing so many smiles cemented that I wanted to major in lodging management. Traveling the world excites me and I want to be involved in the innovative community that shapes how we wander! My aspiration of being the general manager of a reputable hotel, allows me to help reduce the amount of sex trafficking that goes on in the hotel scene. Most importantly, I can make every guest’s experience magical!