If you’re looking for a way to get involved, HSMAI, the hospitality club, is a great way to do so! HSMAI stands for ‘Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.’ This group is a global organization of sales, marketing, and revenue management professionals that represent all segments of the hospitality industry. Many other schools have similar programs, but HSMAI focuses more on providing hospitality professionals with skills to succeed in their career. In other words, the club guides students to increase their experience and learn from hospitality professionals in order to network and further our careers. The hospitality club is not only a fun way to get involved and meet new people, it also provides an opportunity to get off campus and visit properties around the area. These site visits give students an opportunity to talk to professionals in the industry and potentially walk out with a job, like I did! During the fall of 2014, HSMAI took a site visit to Lake Placid Lodge and after sending a thank you email, they asked if I would like to join their team! I had never thought that I would get the opportunity to work at such an amazing property.
Some exciting site visits that we have coming up this semester are:
Crown Plaza Resort and Golf Club, Lake Placid – February 24th, depart PSC at 5pm. Tour includes Golf Club Restaurant, The Boat House, and the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Akwesasne Mohawk Resort Casino, Hogansburg – March 23rd, depart PSC at 4:30pm. Tour includes casino, spa, restaurants, and hotel as well as complimentary buffet dinner.
To RSVP for either tour, please email HSMAI secretary, Sydney Brown, at sbrown2000@s.paulsmiths.edu
BOOMERANG! Alumni Event
Another amazing networking opportunity that HSMAI is hosting this semester is the BOOMERANG! Alumni Event. For this event, we invite alumni who are successful in the hospitality industry back to Paul Smith’s to interact with students and to tell us their stories!
BOOMERANG! is a great opportunity for students in culinary, hospitality, baking, business, communications, and recreation to socialize with alumni who were in your shoes at one point, and can give you an idea of what your future could hold.
This event is being held on April 7th from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. If you are interested in the event, we need volunteers! To volunteer, you can contact our club president, Julie Vicari, via email (jvicari@s.paulsmiths.edu) or Kelly Cerialo via email (kcerialo@paulsmiths.edu).
We hope to welcome you to HSMAI and to share these fun networking experiences together!
My name is Jessica Stafford and I am currently a sophomore. I came to Paul Smith’s in the fall of 2014 from Liverpool, NY. I’m studying Hotel, Resort, and Tourism Management with minors in Craft Brewing and Business. When I’m not in class, I am working at Lake Placid Lodge, in Admissions, or in the Tutoring Center. Outside of school and work, I like long walks on the beach and eating good food.