A Little Magic When It's Needed Most

Robert Morris University senior Kelly Reynolds recently interned at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and helped William Ryan and his family with a tragic time in their lives.
The Walt Disney College Program is selective – only about 8 percent of students who apply are accepted. On July 30, Reynolds’s final day on the job, she encountered the Ryan family, who was cutting their vacation short when William Ryan’s wife learned of her sister’s death back home. They were leaving the next day but Ryan decided to take his children back to the Magic Kingdom that night to see the fireworks.
Disney had arranged for the family to view that night’s parade from the VIP area and view the fireworks from the Castles VIP area. Reynolds was charged with seeing to the family’s needs.
“I said if there was anything I can do let me know so my trainer put them in my viewing area and I accommodated them,” said Reynolds. “It was a very humbling experience to see a family go through that tough time when you are used to families being happy.”
The Ryan family took note of Reynolds’s, and made a point to let RMU know how Reynolds made a difficult time a little bit easier.
“She is a kind, caring yet professional young person. She was able to show that she felt our sadness but performed her job of making sure we were treated with respect and compassion,” said Ryan, who lives in Chesterton, Indiana.
Reynolds, who lives near Hershey, credits RMU’s hospitality and tourism program for preparing her for her Disney internship, and that one difficult night.
“I applied most of my knowledge from my management classes taught by Dr. (Denis) Rudd as well as my knowledge from my previous work experience not only with Disney but with my other guest relations work in Hershey Park and Six Flags America,” said Reynolds.
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Posted by Kristen Koscinski

Hospitality & Tourism Online Degree Receives Recognition

Robert Morris University’s online BSBA Hospitality & Tourism Management degree has been recognized as a Wise Choice for students pursuing careers in Hospitality and Tourism, in an article “Hospitality & Tourism Degrees and 25 Notable Degree Programs” by TheBestSchools.org. Here is the link to that article:

http://www.thebestschools.org/degrees/hospitality-tourism-degrees-25-notable-online-programs/


TheBestSchools.org selected Robert Morris’s programs based on several weighed factors, including academic excellence, course offerings, accomplishment of faculty, return on investment, and reputation.

TheBestSchools.org is a leading resource for prospective students seeking a college or university degree. They receive on average 6,000 unique visitors a day, or over 2,000,000 per year.

Many schools in the United States reference their rankings including Auburn University, Boston University, Texas A&M University, Fordham University, Michigan State University, the University of Florida, and Rochester Institute of Technology.

Hospitality and Tourism Events During Business Week!

Listed below are the Hospitality and Tourism events during Business Week!

Monday, February 24, 2014 – International Suite, Sewall Center

11:30 - 1:50 PM 
Select Your Crew: School of Business Student Organization Fair

Representatives from student organizations will be in the Nicholson Rotunda to talk with students about their organizations and to distribute details on all Business Week events.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 – International Suite, Sewall Center

2:00 - 3:15 PM
Anchors Aweigh: Preparing for the Interview and Weighing the Offer
Moderated By: Carole Weldon

Panelists:
-Meghan Flick, Employment Specialist, Campus Programs, UPMC Talent Acquisition
-Constance Rippole, Operations Manager, Loss Sensitive Field Operations, Travelers
-Samuel Boyer, Sr. Director of Organizational Development, Carnegie Mellon University
-Jonalyn Paulick, Vice President, Sewickley Branch, PNC

This session would include, but not be limited to:
-Tips from employers on how to stand out in an interview
-Advice on how to evaluate an offer
-How to accept and decline offers
-Negotiating salary, the if’s, when’s and how’s
-How to potentially ‘buy time’ while waiting for various offers to come in

Brought to You by: The RMU Career Center


3:30 – 4:45 PM
The Voyage Begins: Navigating the Waters of Your First Job and Career

Panelists:
-Constance Rippole, Operations Manager, Loss Sensitive Field Operations, Travelers
-Samuel Boyer, Sr. Director of Organizational Development, Carnegie Mellon University
-Jonalyn Paulick, Vice President, Sewickley Branch, PNC

This program will explore being a professional, whether as an intern or in a full-time capacity, in the workplace, and advice on advancing in your career. Topics for discussion will include, but not be limited to:
-What to expect, and what to do if your expectations aren’t being met
-Professionalism: your attitude, dress, social media, etc...
-How to handle conflicts in the workplace
-Career advancement: when and how to leave a job; how to be recognized
-Fitting in, office politics, corporate and office culture

Brought to You By: The RMU Career Center


6:00 - 7:00 PM
Making Waves: Dressing for Success - Professional Dress Fashion Show
**Location: Massey Theater

Speakers: Tayna Barker, Elaine Rieffle, & Steve Arnowitz
Local Retailers: CAbi, & Jos.A.Bank

Models from RMU student organizations

Brought to You By: The American Marketing Association


7:00 - 8:30 PM
Reception following Professional Dress Fashion Show

Wednesday, February 26, 2014 – Dining Rooms, Sewall Center

10:00 - 10:50 AM
Cruising to a Career in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry

Speakers:
-Stephanie Westfall, Dual General Manager, Century Hospitality Group
-Tim Samolis, Instructor at Pittsburgh Technical Institute
-Alisha Faulk, General Manager, Courtyard Marriott, Moon Township

Alumni of the Hospitality and Tourism Program will present information on launching successful careers in the hospitality industry.

Brought to You By: The Hospitality and Tourism Management Association & The Hospitality and Tourism Program


5:00 - 7:00 PM
A Networking Excursion

‘Cruise’ to success by networking with fellow classmates, RMU alumni and employers. Enjoy a fun and interactive evening, sip a mocktail, and build your connections in the business world. Co-sponsored with the Career Center.

Thursday, February 27, 2014 – International Suite, Sewall Center

8:00 - 9:15 AM
Learning the Ropes - Internships: Their Importance and How to Find One

Panelists:
-Celine Stanasolovich, Legend Financial
-Anne Bozich, Student Intern
-Sheila Broman, Internship Coordinator, RMU
-Carole Weldon, Career Counselor for School of Business students, RMU

This session will include a discussion on:
-The importance of internships, whether or not they are for academic credit
-What employers look for in selecting candidates
-A student's perspective on the value of interning and the internship search
-When, how and where to look for internships
-Details on the Academic Internship Program

Brought to You By: The RMU Career Center


7:30 - 8:30 PM
Networking Reception
**Location: Ferris Ballroom, Yorktown Hall

Post Written by Kristen Koscinski

Turkey & Cyprus Study Abroad

The Hospitality and Tourism Management Department will be having 2 study abroad trips this summer. Both trips will be traveling through Istanbul, Turkey and Northern Cyprus from May 11-May 24, 2014. Detailed information on both courses is below.



HTMG3060 International Tourism
Dr. Mills
International Tourism will focus on food and culture through course room assignments and field study. Field visits will be made to hotels, restaurants, markets and tourism agencies. The goal will be to create a comparative study through journal assignments that connect students from one culture to another. Student who register for the course are required to go on the 2014 study trip to Istanbul, Turkey and Northern Cyprus May 11-May 24, 2014. Costs for airfare, housing, etc. are in addition to tuition. If you are interested in taking this course, contact the Center for Global Engagement at 412-397-2151 or email Rick Moslen at Moslen@rmu.edu.
Sessions 03/10-5/3 (5 sessions)
Times: 3:00-3:50pm


HTMF4052 Executive Development
Dr. Karadag
Prerequisite: HTMG3002
This course is a thorough study of the basic principles of leadership in management, with emphasis on creative thinking for decision making and problem solving within the Hospitality and Tourism industries. The Functions of managers and principles of effective communication at levels of management are carefully examined. Special attention is given to the need for constant self-development and improvement, using current industry problems. Students who register for the course are required to go on the 2014 study trip to Istanbul, Turkey and Northern Cyprus May 11-May24, 2014. Costs for airfare, housing, etc. are in addition to tuition. If you are interested in taking this course, contact the Center for Global Engagement at 412-397-2151 or email Rick Moslen at Moslen@rmu.edu
Sessions 3/10-5/3 (5 sessions)
Time: 4:00-4:50pm

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey

Northern Cyprus

Northern Cyprus

Post Written by Kristen Koscinski

Internship AND Job Opportunity TOMORROW (Oct 16)

Valerie James, the recruiter for Eat’n Park Restaurants will be conducting interviews Wednesday (tomorrow), October 16th. The interviews will be held in the Career Center located near Nicholson front lawn from 11:30am-3:00pm. These interviews will be for potential internships and jobs with Eat’n Park Restaurants. She will also be presenting in all Hospitality classes tomorrow.



Post Written by Kristen Koscinski

SBUS Social Media Contact Information!

There is now an email address available for you to send information to be put in social media posts. Listed below is the email address along with what social media correspondents will be available at certain times.

Email: rmusbussocialmedia@gmail.com

Kristen Koscinski: M-F Mornings
Ian Munroe: T/R
Austin Brown: Fridays


Post Written by Kristen Koscinski

Busy summer for Dr. Ersem Karadag

Dr. Ersem Karadag is the Associate Professor in Hospitality and Tourism here at Robert Morris University. Dr. Karadag spent his summer attending conferences and publishing articles. He was able to go to St. Louis, Missouri and even Greece. Below are the conferences he attended, as well as a list of articles he has published.

Participated conferences (2013)

5th International Scientific Conference
“Tourism Trends and Advances in the 21st Century” Island of Rhodes, Greece, May 30 to June 2, 2013. For the conference website, click here.

Paper presented: Corporate Governance in the Tourism Industry: The Effect of Franchising in the U.S. Restaurant Sector.
Authors: By Melih Madanoglu (Florida Atlantic University) and Ersem Karadag ( Robert Morris University).


2013 Annual I CHRIE Summer Conference, St. Louis, MO, 24-27 July 2013.

Paper presented: Franchising and Cash Holdings in the U.S. Restaurant Industry
Authors: Melih Madanoglu (Florida Atlantic University); Ilhan Demirer,( Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management) and, Ersem
Karadag (Robert Morris University)

Published articles (2013)

Title: Generational Differences in work values and attitudes among frontline and service contact employees.
Authors: Gursoy, Dogan (Washington State University), Chi, Christina, Geng – Qing, (Washington State University), Karadag, Ersem (Robert Morris University.
Journal: International Journal of Hospitality Management, Volume: 32, March 1, 2013, pp.40-48


Post Written by Kristen Koscinski