Following is a Q&A with one of the 763 students who received a diploma Dec. 15 at UW-Stout
Hometown: Lester Prairie, Minn.
Major: Hotel, restaurant and tourism management, concentration in club management, minor in business administration
Awards, honors: Chancellor’s Award 2016-2018, Joe Perdue Scholarship, CMAA Student Chapter of the Year, Philip H. McGuirk HRTM Scholarship
Why did you choose UW-Stout? At first I simply chose UW-Stout because they offered my unique program and it was only two hours away from home. However, it did not take long for me to feel right at home on campus and in the classroom. I immediately got involved in my residence halls and in social and academic organizations. Looking back, I would not have changed anything.
What are the biggest obstacles you faced in earning your degree? Coming into college at UW-Stout, I had no in-classroom experience. I was home-schooled kindergarten through senior year of high school. While this was challenging at first, I was dedicated to learning as much as I could in the most efficient and independent way as possible. Because of UW-Stout’s flexibility, I was able to finish my degree in 3½ years, with a minor, spend a semester abroad and do a summer/fall co-op while taking online courses.
What stands out among your college experiences Fall semester of 2017. I studied at the American College of Greece – Deree in Athens. This experience helped me grow in cultural, academic and personal knowledge and developed my love for travel and adventure. I had the incredible opportunity to fully embrace a new culture while studying my career and passion. Another experience that helped shape me is the Club Management Association of America. CMAA is a national, professional organization devoted to providing support and education to managers of membership clubs. Through conferences and networking events, I had summer/fall co-ops at prestigious country clubs in New Hampshire and Minnesota. These co-ops were beneficial to my career path in club management and assisted in the development of my passion for the industry.
What’s next? I will be continuing with White Bear Yacht Club in Dellwood, Minn., as the assistant food and beverage manager. I previously did a summer/fall co-op as the dining room manager and had a great experience. I love working with my young staff and fellow managers and interacting with our members at the private club.
###
