.What is something you love about your school? I really love that UMass Amherst puts emphasis on diversity and inclusion throughout all activities and events that they hold. Current and global issues are also addressed by the faculty at our school and there is real recognition and respect to countless social justice issues and human rights movements. It really feels like UMass cares and wants to do what they can as a community to help everyone.
How did you choose your major? I chose my major because I had an interest in business yet also knew that I wanted helping people to be at the core of what I do. I feel like the perfect mix of that is Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) because it's the business based on providing experiences and services for people directly that intend to make their lives more enjoyable right in that very moment. Whether it's a restaurant, hotel, country club, event, etc. people really value a great service experience and that's what I am really interested in: learning how to provide both through actual customer interaction as well as the business management side of the organization.
Why did you apply to ZF? I really admire how the Zenie Foundation carefully considers their applicants and wants to get to know them, so that they feel they're choosing students who truly align with their values, yet are still unique. This foundation also genuinely cares about your educational goals and career goals after college and what you want to pursue which is a really good support system to have access to. It's a very good opportunity that not many college students can say they are a part of and I'm really proud to be a part of it!
Tell us about some of your career aspirations. While I am still figuring out exactly what I want to do in the HTM space, I definitely have goals for working somewhere in either the event management side or hotel/lodging side. I want to be able to really work and experience the service industry to be able to then rise up in positions of responsibility and be able to really plan and implement different ideas and concepts. I don't know exactly how this will look, but that is what I hope my career after college entails.