The Student Volunteer Experience, Part Two

Composed by: Fernando Sarmiento

The Face of an Firm:

Final week I received the prospect and privilege to represent the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton School for Global Hospitality Management as a single of 18 pupil volunteers for HITEC 2022 (June 27-30), the world’s largest and oldest hospitality technological innovation and finance meeting. In celebration of its 50^th anniversary, the party was held at Orlando’s iconic Orange County Conference Centre, where above 6,000 attendees and exhibitor collected to go over options to vital difficulties our industry faces, as very well as place forth the most recent solutions and services, with the aim of earning our buyers and doing the job life a very little greater.

As a seasoned celebration-goer myself, I was humbled by how substantially I acquired and acquired from the experience. My earnest gratitude goes to HFTP, their strategic companions, and the HFTP Cougar Chapter, of which I am a member. It is thanks to them that I acquired to make new friendships and expert connections, and continued to study outside of the classroom.

The Operate and the Men and women:

We had been asked to guide as the welcoming facial area of HFTP by orienting and helping equally attendees and exhibitors in the course of the meeting, furnishing standard aid all through sessions, and of program, trying to keep the organizers knowledgeable of anything applicable.

Whilst the student volunteers experienced been trusted with a incredibly vital activity, it never actually felt like get the job done simply because the leadership guiding the function were all truly enthusiastic about our purpose and set in terrific effort and hard work to make us all feel welcomed, geared up and associated throughout.

Furthermore, I was astonished by several of my fellow students’ etiquette and know-how of the sector. But it was genuinely their sunny disposition and kindness in the direction of all people that designed them these a memorable mix of men and women to work alongside with. These remarkable college students from hospitality-related fields came from different colleges throughout the place, this kind of as San Jose Condition University, Northern Arizona University, New York College, as very well the Valencia School (to title a handful of).

The Substance:

We ended up encouraged to show up at classes of our desire, converse with seasoned gurus from the hospitality sector, and wallop HITEC exhibitors with questions.

With this event currently being HITEC’s 50^th anniversary, the organizers and their partners have been certain to include things like some intriguing actions in the system, this sort of as the HITEC Opening Occasion at SeaWorld Orlando presented by Venza and CyberTek, the place I bought both of those my toes and mobile phone wet the HFTP Young Gurus (YP) Fulfill-up at The Tin Roof, which was a meet up with-and-greet around light beverages and treats, hosted by HFTP and AAHOA and sponsored by Aimbridge Hospitality (pictured previously mentioned) and a particular “Fireside Chat” session with hotel mogul Mr. Harris Rosen as part of HFTP’s 2022 Leadership Excellence Series.

All round, volunteering at HITEC was an inspiring expertise for me, and I would invite other students to take into consideration volunteering at the future opportunity they get. It is a chance for college students to get a feeling of operating on the entrance strains of celebration-scheduling, learn more about the hospitality business and its technological and fiscal parts, work on your networking techniques and make new lifelong good friends and professional connections. It is extremely much really worth the try.

Fernando Sarmiento is a university student at the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton University for World Hospitality Leadership and university student volunteer at HITEC Orlando 2022.