HSMAI Foundation Announces Recipients of Scholarship Program
First annual HSMAI Foundation Mike Dimond Scholarship awarded
Six students pursuing careers in hospitality sales and marketing have been awarded scholarships from the Foundation of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Five students were awarded HSMAI’s merit scholarships, sponsored by American Express, and one student received the first annual HSMAI Foundation Mike Dimond Scholarship for graduate students in the field of hospitality.
‘The HSMAI Foundation awards scholarships to some of the most promising and deserving students,’ said Susan Thronson, senior vice president of global marketing at Marriott International, Inc., and chair of the HSMAI Foundation. ‘These individuals represent the future of our field, and we are proud to support and encourage the next generation.’
The 2009 recipients of the merit scholarships are Laura Arneson, Gregory Bodenlos, Dustin Fegley, Enada Jang, and Tara Miller.
Laura Arneson, attending New York University, will graduate in May 2010 with a master’s degree in hospitality. She presently holds a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in tourism management from Arizona State University. Arneson has worked as a research assistant to the NYU Divisional Dean and HVS International Chair Laila Rach and to Dr. Fred Mayo. She also worked for the Summit Group, Inc., where she assisted the general manager of several Marriott brands in Scottsdale, AZ and was in charge of a nearly $4 million annual sales budget. She also serves on the HSMAI greater New York Chapter membership committee and is the president of the Graduate Hospitality and Tourism Student Society at NYU.
Gregory Bodenlos, attending Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, will graduate in May 2010 with a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in marketing. He has been on the dean’s list for the past three semesters and is a teaching assistant, president of the HSMAI Collegiate Chapter at Cornell, and a staff writer for the Cornell Daily Sun. He has worked in sales and catering at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City and for the Statler Hotel and J. Willard Marriott Executive Education Center in Ithaca, NY.
Dustin Fegley will graduate in December 2010 with a bachelor’s in hospitality and restaurant management from the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. He presently holds an associate’s degree in culinary arts from the Art Institutes International-Minnesota. Fegley is now following his dream of owning and managing a restaurant. He is passionate about sales & marketing to deliver business success. He established a great foundation in the kitchen by working at numerous venues as a kitchen manager, sous chef, chef, and banquet manager, and now wants to take his career to a new level with additional knowledge in hospitality sales & marketing.
Enada Jang, attending New York University, will graduate in May 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management. Jang has been on the dean’s list for three semesters and in 2007 participated in NYU’s study abroad program at East China Normal University in Shanghai. He has worked at HEI Hotels & Resorts, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, Kimpton Hotels, and Lincoln Park Golf Course. He is president-elect of the HSMAI Greater New York Chapter NYU student chapter and is HSMAI chair of the NYU Hospitality Business Society. He previously won the 2009 HSMAI Greater New York Chapter Hospitality Student of the Year award.
Tara Miller, attending Temple University, will graduate in May 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in tourism and hospitality management. Miller has worked at the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau and for Best Western-Eden Resort & Suites. She is president of Temple University’s Collegiate Chapter of HSMAI and president of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management Student Association at Temple.
New this year, the HSMAI Foundation Mike Dimond Scholarship for graduate students in the field of hospitality was created in memory of Mike Dimond, the hospitality industry leader who passed away last year at the age of 67. Dimond had a career spanning more than four decades and was recognized as one of the top hotel marketing executives in the nation. He received several industry awards including ASAE’s Academy of Leaders award, MPI’s Supplier of the Year award and was named Sales Executive of the Year by Insurance Conference Planners.
Sue Lee Yoon, the first-ever recipient of the Mike Dimond Scholarship for graduate students, is attending Cornell University and will graduate with a master’s of management in hospitality. She currently holds a bachelor’s degree from Collins College of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She has worked at the Hyatt Regency in Incheon, South Korea as director of sales, for the Hilton Los Angeles Airport as corporate sales and guest services manager and at the Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey as assistant manager of reservation sales. She is a member of Eta Sigma Delta, the International Hospitality Management Honor Society.
For eligibility, students must be enrolled in a hospitality management or related curriculum and pursuing a degree, have demonstrated hospitality work experience, possess an interest in a career in hospitality sales and marketing, and be in good academic standing.
About HSMAI Foundation
Established in 1983 to serve as the research and educational arm of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, the HSMAI Foundation’s mission is to expand and enhance the educational opportunities available to hospitality sales and marketing executives and to increase the amount of in-depth research conducted on behalf of the profession. Today, and in the years ahead, the HSMAI Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization, plans to accelerate its research and publishing activities to contribute even more to the continuing education of those engaged in this fast-paced, increasingly demanding profession. For more information on the HSMAI Foundation, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Foundation, 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Va. 22102; (703) 506-3280; fax (703) 506-3266, or visit the website at www.hsmaifoundation.org.
About HSMAI
HSMAI is the hospitality industry source for knowledge, community, and recognition for leaders committed to professional development, sales growth, revenue optimization, marketing, and branding. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry, and bringing together customers and members at annual events, including HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings(R). Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprising more than 7,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. For more information on HSMAI, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, Va. 22102; (703) 506-3280; fax (703) 506-3266, or visit the website at www.hsmai.org.
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