HBM Alumni Testimonials
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| Kunwei Lin Marketing Executive, AdAsia Communications, New York, USA |
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The program trained me to be a researcher, powered me with lots of knowledge and very practical techniques, which still benefit me when I work now. The program created maximum opportunities for us to attend conferences, meet and make connections with the professionals in the industry as well as in the academic world. The location of the school is also perfect – relatively low living expenses but very close to many big cities and thus, greater opportunities. |
| Ajith Nayar Head – Executive Briefing Centers (EBC) Wipro Technologies |
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The MS Program in Hospitality at the University of Delaware was a perfect mix of academics combined with hands on real life problem solving. The cohort style was truly rewarding and fun. I was amazed at how closed-knit the cohort was, and going to class was almost like a social event where we shared our experiences as we went through the topics of the day. The professors are talented, committed and genuinely caring; their talent for sharing their expertise and experience was a treat. The program has made a significant impact on my career as it helped me hone my management skills. |
| Courtney (Manion) Smith Product Manager, NCR Corporation, Chicago, USA |
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I have my job today thanks to IBM sponsoring me to speak at the FSTECH Conference, which was all possible, thanks to the connections at UD and the paper that I wrote as a student in the program. UD’s Hospitality MS program is a great foundation of knowledge for further pursuits. Understanding the “business” side of the industry can make you more valuable to an employer and also give you more advantages throughout your career. The information I learned at UD over 7 years ago is now being vastly applied in the food service industry. I work for the #1 point of sale provider in the US and in the world and I’ve been witness to paradigm shifts in the industry from topics that I was being taught at UD. |
| Art Yagci Zagat, New York, USA |
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The MS in Hospitality at UD definitely provided me the platform to start my professional career in hospitality industry. MS program was very well constructed in terms of curriculum, and there were plenty of opportunities to keep me abreast with industry trend via various course exercises, conferences, internship opportunities and very well respected faculty. |
| Yuki Hu Revenue Manager – Langham Hospitality Group, Shenzhen, China |
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I graduated in the summer of 2008 which was the time when the economic crisis just started in the US. But because of my good education background within UD, I managed to get a really good offer working as the cluster revenue analyst in Hilton San Francisco, which was a flagship hotel in the US with 1908 rooms/suites. The experience in Hilton and my Master’s Degree in UD helped me get my first job as a revenue manager in Hilton Chongqing, China. This is a key department head position in the hotel industry normally requires many years of experience within revenue/reservation which would not happen if I didn’t have the strong educational background and work experience. Prospective students should consider enrolling in the program because of the guidance of provided by professional faculty at UD. |
| Andrew Moreo Curriculum Design Specialist, The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, USA |
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I chose UD for two main reasons. The first is the high caliber faculty that teaches in the program and the focus on research. I was able to publish 3 papers, as either the lead or second author, in highly ranked peer reviewed journals during my tenure at UD. I don’t think many other graduate students at the Masters Level get that opportunity. The process of researching, writing, and publishing those papers has given me immense satisfaction but also confidence in my abilities. |
| Celeste Mozeik Hospitality Program Director, Delaware Tech, Newark, USA |
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I gained valuable insight about the service industry from strategic business perspective and tourism realm. I was able to redirect my narrow culinary focus into a fascinating foray into a global industry which is a culturally diverse business environment. This directed me into a mindset of lifelong learning and has presented me with other career possibilities, networking and professional development opportunities. The University of Delaware provided a world class education, has internationally respected faculty and professional staff, and has top notch learning facilities that provided many opportunities for research, work opportunities, networking and harnessing creativity. Another key advantage to UD is that it has a well-connected career network and is close to potential employers in the Mid-Atlantic region. |
| Anil Bilgihan Assistant Professor of Hospitality, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA |
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I had great experience at UD because of the fact that faculty is well connected both with industry and academia. I had the opportunity to pursue an internship with help of the faculty and as a masters student I had the chance to attend national conferences. It was an excellent experience to gain exposure to research. I feel really lucky that I also had the opportunity to work in real time projects with the faculty for big corporations such as Marriott and ING. This program has exceptional faculty, is small enough to care, very well recognized program, and has great opportunities for research. |