As a veteran hospitality industry professional, I was recently asked to serve as a member of an advisory board for Ferris State University in Michigan, my alma mater. It is for the College of Business which is where the School of Hospitality Management resides.
During our last meeting, we were asked to review the curriculum they teach. They wanted to know if it matched with the actual tasks we do on a daily basis. They want to ensure they are focusing on the right knowledge and skills for their students. What a great exercise! Essentially, this is the point we all make – “If I could go back to college knowing what I know now, this is what I would do differently”. “If I could start my career over, here is how I would handle it this time”. “If I could do this meeting over again, I would have added this session”. This list of examples could certainly go on.
It is great to see that more colleges and universities are offering programs of study in meeting and event planning. It is also good to see that colleges and universities understand the need to stay current in a constantly changing industry, by conducting these exercises with professionals in the field. I hope this trend continues.
I am a strong believer in giving back. I owe much of my success to the foundation I was given at Ferris State University. I hope each of you will consider giving back to make the future of our industry strong!