This Thanksgiving, the Chambers College Hospitality and Tourism Management program was gifted a generous donation from Nemacolin resort and the Hardy family.
This gift is going to change the student experience immensely. The funding that we receive goes towards helping us, the students, get to the places we want to go.
It gives us experiential learning opportunities, like trips to visit potential employers to network and determine what we are seeking after college. Just before Thanksgiving break, I had the opportunity to travel to West Palm Beach to present at the Hotel Technology Forum Conference held at the PGA National Resort. My classmates and I spoke on a student panel at the conference in front of industry professionals. This is an example of experiential learning in action.
Opportunities like these help our program stand out while allowing us, the students, to learn what these professionals expect and how to go above and beyond in the professional world. Alumni and donor giving makes these opportunities possible for me and my classmates.
Additionally, donations like this prepare students to use the up-and-coming technology that will make us competitive in our field. Currently, the Nemacolin Hospitality Lab allows us to work on real-world problems using technologies such as Meta quests and AR goggles. We also showcase our demos to industry professionals to allow them to see our research.
This new gift will enable us to upgrade our technology and learn the most recent trends in hospitality, allowing us to market ourselves as technology leaders in the industry.
As Chambers College students, we are extremely thankful for the donations we receive, like the one from the Hardy family and Nemacolin resort. These gifts help us prepare for and succeed in the workforce after we graduate. Whether someone gives seven dollars or seven million, their generosity changes our lives.
Maggie McCarthy
Chambers College student
B.S.B.Ad. Hospitality and Tourism Management
"Let's Talk Business" is a series of guest blogs written by members of the Chambers College community. All views expressed in this post are the author's own.
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