Young Alumni Panel

Written by:
Kevin Dunne, HTM Candidate, '19

The Young Alumni Panel featured five recent Hotel & Tourism Management graduates; Brianna Cole ’16, Seth Roberts ’17, Victoria Quill ’16, Alex Darling ’16, and Lindsay Tice ’17. The panelists discussed the journey to their current positions, aspects of their jobs, and what the transition from college to career has been like. They all provided great insight with unique aspects to their individual experiences.  Other key topics discussed were negotiating salaries, how to know if a company is the right one, moving to a different city, and work-life balance.

The panel discussion emphasized the importance of looking into the culture and values of a company to know if it is the right fit for you.  One of the panelists advised the students to use the interview process as an opportunity to interview the company back. It should be seen more as a “two-way street,” as opposed to “one-way.”

The atmosphere of the panel was inspiring. Students in attendance were made up of primarily juniors and seniors from the HTM Leadership class and the Capstone class. All of the students were engaged, asking questions that the audience could relate to. Having panelists that were recent graduates also made the discussion flow much more naturally. The panelists were open and honest in all their answers, giving a real picture of what to expect after graduation. With the room filled with past and current students, all discussing their experiences, both positive and negative, it had the true family feeling that Isenberg’s HTM department embodies.