UNH Hospitality Management Students Look to the Future

Current students in the Hospitality Management program at the University of New Hampshire Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics got a look at what the future could hold from a pair of alumni during a half-day seminar on organization sales, sales management, marketing and eCommerce operations held at the Marriott International Regional Offices in Medford.

The October 15 event was hosted by Bob Schmeck, general manager of Marriott International – North East Sales, and Jon Moore, vice president of marketing and eCommerce. Both are graduates of the UNH Hospitality Management program. Students also heard from recent college graduates and other members of the Marriott International Sales and Marketing team on topics such as career planning, what they learned post-graduation, the importance of a solid operations foundation, and how to groom themselves during the next two years in preparation for graduation.

Carolyn Kelly, a junior at UNH, explained that the seminar gave her insight to the many opportunities in the hospitality industry. “I personally enjoyed speaking with the general manager of sales and marketing director about their different career paths after college,” said Kelly. “They were able to provide me with great advice regarding entry level positions as well as manager and training positions.”

Schmeck said he was glad to be in a position to give back to UNH with advice to future graduates in the field. “I would strongly suggest that a background in sales and marketing are skills that students will use and call on often as they progress in their career,” he said. “When we host events like this one we always hope the message is on target so I am pleased to hear that Jon and I hit the mark.”

Citing a study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2011 that predicted average industry job growth of 13 percent between 2012 and 2022, Nelson Barber, interim chair and associate professor of the UNH Hospitality Management Program, said “with our new specialization in marketing and sales management planned for fall 2015, our graduates will be well prepared.”

About UNH’s Hospitality Management Program

UNH’s Hospitality Management program is the second-oldest hospitality management program in the United States. The program provides students with the overall breadth and depth of a common core of business courses in accounting, economics, information systems, and management, as well as professional interdisciplinary courses and internship opportunities in hotel management, food service and restaurant management, conventions and event management, and other hospitality management areas.

UNH Hospitality Management students can “Choose Their Own Path to Success,” by specializing in three areas: food and beverage management, lodging and resort management, and event management. UNH graduates have a high placement rate with starting salaries competitive to the market. Beginning in fall 2015, students will be able to specialize in Marketing and Sales Management, an important and growing career path in the hospitality industry.

About UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics
The UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics offers a full complement of high-quality programs in business, economics, accounting, finance, information systems management, entrepreneurship, marketing, and hospitality management. Programs are offered at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive development levels. The college is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the premier accrediting agency for business schools worldwide. For more information, visit paulcollege.unh.edu.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state’s flagship public institution, enrolling 12,300 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students.

Photo Attached Courtesy of UNH Hospitality Management Program

Front row (left to right): Sacha Cavezzali, Pei-Jou Kuo, Tuan Quoc Nguyen, Lufei Guan, Linh Viet My Nguyen, Grace Patton, Venus Chau, Diana Lo, Cheyenne Cullen, Adriana Petitti, Hayley Gelinas, Andre Ho

Back row (left to right): Elena Messina, Kelleigh Matrullo, Grace Berkman, Kaeleigh Cranney, Amanda Chabot, Mikayla Fritsch, Martha Dempsey, Christopher Dormody, Annie Franzen, Alexis Larabee, Katherine Gruezke, Byungjoon Jeon, Carolyn Kelly, Lucy McGinty, Jon Moore, Nelson Barber, Robert Schmeck, Sage Wattles, Amanda Gorell, Shannon Ramsey, Kaley Quast, Jacquelyn Kurkul, Ashley Deeter, Carla Sevilla, Daniel Innis