JMU - More News and Notes

HTM News and Notes Archive

Mar. 14, 2008 - MadisonTRAK weekly newsletter

Mar. 14, 2008 - PCMA Capital Chapter Newsletter

Mar. 12, 2008 - Marriott International Named Most Admired Hotel Company by FORTUNE for Ninth Consecutive Year - story at marriott.com

Mar. 11, 2008 - Daly Seven, operators of several area hotels (including Fairfield Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, SpringHill Suites, Holiday Inn Express, Innkeeper, Courtyard, Hampton), is looking for summer interns! Visit their website at www.dalyseven.com/hotels and read their PDF flyer here.

Feb. 22, 2008 - MadisonTRAK weekly newsletter (Word file)

Feb. 12, 2008 - MadisonTRAK weekly newsletter (PDF file)

Feb. 1, 2008 - MadisonTRAK weekly newsletter (Word File). Includes upcoming workshops, featured employers, career articles, info session and interview calendars.

Jan. 29, 2008 - Advisory Council member and HTM alum Allison Boehm highlighted in Meeting Professional magazine's "30 Under 30". Scroll down to the third name on the list.

Jan. 25, 2008 - MadisonTRAK weekly newsletter (PDF). Important information such as resume clinics, recruiting timelines, internship info and more.

Jan. 24, 2008 - The University Program Board (UPB) is hiring student executives for 2008-09! Click here to read their PDF hiring announcement.

Jan. 14, 2008 - 10 Jobs in Hospitality - story on careerbuilder.com

Jan. 10, 2008 - Hotel Schools are in with Inn Crowd - story on USAtoday.com

Jan. 9, 2008 - Mark White, Director of Sales at Wintergreen Resort, is looking for students who could work to gather site selection information and assist with additional duties. The students would stay free at the resort over a weekend and all meal expenses would be covered. Also included is a thorough tour of Wintergreen. Any students interested in the valuable learning opportunity should contact Mark White at mwhite@wintergreenresort.com or 434-325-8160.

Jan. 8, 2008 - CMAA newsletter for December 2007 - PDF file

Jan. 8, 2008 - Special Report: Restaurant 101 - story on Forbes.com

Dec. 6, 2007 - View the full list of the remaining senior projects/theme dinners and information right here. Save the Dates and make your way to one of them!

Dec. 6, 2007 - A small collection of photos from this year's Le Gourmet event, "Black Tie, Blue Jeans & Boots" is now online! Click here to view them.

Dec. 3, 2007 - JMU Events and Conferences has given a heads-up to HTM students about Conference Assistant internships for summer 2008! Internship page

Nov. 19, 2007 - Big thanks go out to the HTM Advisory Council and HTM students for working with Black Tie, Blue Jeans & Boots! The Le Gourmet event went smoothly and all the guests had a great time!

Oct. 29, 2007 - Crestline Hotels and Marriott International, Inc. hosted the Hotel Operations class on October 18th and 19th during their visit to Washington, D.C.
The students arrived at the Melrose Hotel and were greeted by the Director of Sales Aaron Gillespie and Director of Operations John Durbin. Mr. Gillespie gave a hotel tour of meeting space, hotel guest rooms and suites. Carol Simon, General Manager of the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, Ummara Marshall Director of Human Resources for Crestline, and additional hosts from Crestline also toured the students.
The tour concluded with a reception in the Presidential Suite where the outdoor patio was a favorite gathering place on a warm October night. The indoor parlor was used for an information session on Crestline Hotels where Crestline’s CEO Dave Durbin provided opening remarks. Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Vicki Denfeld shared her experiences in the hospitality industry and offered sage advice to future graduates.
After spending the night at the Bethesda Marriott students enjoyed breakfast and an information session hosted at the Bethesda Marriott by Marriott International’s Steve Bauman, Karl Atlow, and Philip DeVliegher. Mr. Bauman gave some encouraging words about the interview process from his view as Vice President of Talent Acquisition & Selection for Marriott International and from the view of a JMU parent. Mr. Bauman’s son is currently a JMU student in Health Sciences. Mr. Atlow spoke about the various brands at Marriott and career possibilities within Marriott International.
Students had the opportunity to tour Marriott headquarters and enjoy lunch. Mr. Atlow and Mr. DeVliegher toured the students through the memorabilia from Marriott’s history, the test kitchen, and mock hotel rooms for each of Marriott’s brands. The students were able to see how sample hotel rooms are configured for prospective investors, and how the room furnishings differ according to brand. JMU Alumnus Liz Knutsen met the students for lunch and spoke of her career in corporate sales at Marriott.
This opportunity to travel and experience the hospitality industry was made possible through the generous donation of Crestline Hotels, Marriott International, Inc. and the Hospitality & Tourism Advisory Council who helps to raise funds to make this type of event possible. A special thank you to Michael Quinn for coordinating this experiential learning opportunity.

Oct. 25, 2007 - In the spirit of CENTENNIAL HOMECOMING, here are Ten Habits of Highly Effective JMU Alumni & Friends:
James Madison Statue 1. Say a good word about JMU.
2. Cheer for our teams & attend their events.
3. Hire JMU grads.
4. Recruit prospective students.
5. Wear purple & gold with pride.
6. Attend Homecoming Weekend!
7. Promote our new Bachelors degree in Engineering.
8. Support scholarships, programs, endowment & research.
9. Volunteer to help the University.
10. Provide feedback.

Oct. 22, 2007 - HTM Advisory Council member Michel Goget appointed General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya - story on chinanewswire.com

Oct. 15, 2007 - JMU Orientation needs help for their "1787" August Welcome Week. Application information here.

Oct. 10, 2007 - Checking In at the Hotel of Tomorrow - story on cnnmoney.com

Oct. 3, 2007 - HTM degree requirements are now online in a timetable chart form. Click here for the PDF file.

Oct. 2, 2007 - The JMU chapter of CMAA has published its first newsletter of the new school year! Click here to visit their page for the PDF file.

Sept. 27, 2007 - The two Internship Fair 2008 scholarships have been awarded to Katherine Boyd, a senior from Audubon, Pa., and Amy Rubin, a junior from Downingtown, Pa. Katherine has worked with Madison Grill, Bohemian Club, JMU Student Ambassadors, Alternative Spring Break, Make Your Mark On Madison, Relay For Life, University Program Board, and as a First Year Orientation Guide (FrOG). Amy has worked with Whitford Country Club, Dairy Queen, Delta Sigma Pi, University Program Board, and Madison P.R.I.D.E.

Sept. 24, 2007 - Chick-fil-A...inspired by Ritz Carlton? - story on fastcompany.com

Sept. 20, 2007 - The PCMA Student Committee is working to bring together a Student-Professional mentorship program to start in February 2008. They are looking for student volunteers (seniors or juniors) to participate in a short 10-week beta test before they roll out the program. Click here to see the PDF flyer for full details.

Sept. 17, 2007 - The Power of Hospitality - story on fastcompany.com

Sept. 5, 2007 - For your information: The Convention Industry Council's full glossary, from A La Broche to Zulu Time.

Sept. 4, 2007 - Meeting Professionals' 2006 Salary Survey - PDF article from Convene magazine

Sept. 3, 2007 - Top Ten Growth Chains - story on restaurant-hospitality.com.

Sept. 3, 2007 - Restaurant Hospitality's 2007 Chain of the Year: Buffalo Wild Wings.

Sept. 3, 2007 - The Most Innovative Corporate Cafeterias - story on businessweek.com

Aug. 30, 2007 - Six-Figure Incomes at Chipotle! - story on rockymountainnews.com

Aug. 28, 2007 - Welcome to the new world of room service - story on msnbc.com

Aug. 27, 2007 - Hotel & Motel Management's Top Ten. Updated every other week.

Aug. 27, 2007 - Darden Restaurants to buy Rare Hospitality for $1.19 Billion - story on cnbc.com

May 29, 2007 - HTM alum Lauren Vena has taken home the Marriott Grande Ocean's 3rd quarter Radical Leap Award! Lauren joined the Grande Ocean Spa team in June 2006 after completing her degree from James Madison University. She burst onto the scene and began to immediately make a positive impact with our owners and guests at the beginning of a difficult season. Throughout the season with the property’s challenges of an aging product, and demands placed on villa assignment, Lauren’s positive attitude and energetic personality were certainly noticed by our owners and guests. Lauren received more positive comments than any associate at our resort. With the property in the midst of a busy 2007, Lauren has not stopped to take a breath as she is piloting the property’s pre-arrival contact efforts as well as embracing the challenge of the Welcome Center’s closing along with the Ocean Spa Team.
The Radical Leap Award is an award given out once per property, per quarter to the Manager who continually goes above and beyond the typical realm of his/her job description. Lauren is the first Manager to receive the award following his/her first quarter of employment- usually recipients are given the award following many months, or even years, with the company. Congrats Lauren!

Apr. 19, 2007 - Top Eleven internship tips brought to you by MadisonTRAK:
1. Set realistic personal goals & monitor your progress
2. Have Regular Meetings with your Supervisor(s)
3. Tackle all Tasks with Enthusiasm and a Positive Attitude
4. Avoid Negativity and Gossip
5. Never Shun a Chance to Learn More About the Company/Industry
6. Get as Much Exposure as Possible
7. Don't be Afraid to Ask Questions
8. Take Initiative
9. Find a Mentor
10. Network, Network, Network
11. Enjoy Yourself!

Apr. 12, 2007 - MadisonTRAK Weekly Newsletter (PDF)

Apr. 9, 2007 - MadisonTRAK Weekly Newsletter (PDF)

Apr. 2, 2007 - MadisonTRAK Weekly Newsletter (PDF)

Apr. 2, 2007 - JMU's Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) team took third place at the "Battle of the Builds" Lego Competition on Saturday, March 31st. The team members were Stacey Peery, Carolyn Rehman, Will O'Day, Betsy Sommers, Kim Simmons, and Sarah Magee. Their Lego designs earned $500 for the CMAA student group.

Mar. 12, 2007 - Career & Academic Planning (CAP) has several upcoming workshops to help your grad school or job search. Click here for the PDF announcement.

Feb. 27, 2007 - Another outstanding Theme Dinner season has concluded! Click here to read the final notes.

Feb. 21, 2007 - The Hotel Operations and Advanced Lodging (HTM 330) classes visited Washington DC for some experiential learning on February 12th and 13th. The students arrived at the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner on Monday night and were greeted by JMU alumni Alicia Weir, Lindsay Gulley, and Tamara Hathaway. Hotel Manager Todd Hersperger gave some opening comments and the divided up the students for Back of the House and Front of the House tours. Students visited the Laundry Facility, Banquet Kitchens and Hotel Ballroom. The Ritz Carlton then hosted a dinner for the students where 9 members of the management team held round table discussions with the students about career opportunities and hotel operations.

On Tuesday morning the students Journeyed to Georgetown and visited the Four Seasons Washington DC. Employment Manager Ana Gonzalez and Human Resources Director Stacey Coppel welcomed the classes and hosted a continental breakfast in the Douglass Room. General Manager Chris Hunsberger spoke to the students about the culture of the Four Seasons and then had members of the management team speak about their career paths in Food and Beverage, Housekeeping, and Hotel Operations. JMU Alumnus Doug Levy from the Garden Terrace Lounge was the final speaker and he spoke of his career in Food and Beverage. Ana and Stacey then spoke to students about Internship and Career opportunities at the Four Seasons and then split the class into two groups for a hotel tour. The tour included some kitchen areas, a guest room, and a hotel suite.

The students left the Four Seasons for their final destination the Willard InterContinental Hotel. On the way to the Willard, the bus drove past the host for Le Gourmet 2007, the US Chamber of Commerce. Students were greeted in Peacock Alley by Wendi Colby, the hotel’s Director of Human Resources and the Director of Public Relations Barbara Bahny David. Barbara led the students to the Hotel Lobby and told of the hotel’s influence on history with famous guests from Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King. Students were then taken to the hotel’s history museum and then to the Round Robin Bar for mocktails and more stories. Lunch was then served in the Holmes Room and the Director of Training, Kim Allen Mills, gave a presentation on working for the Willard and Intercontinental Hotels. The General Manager Hervé Houdré stopped by and told of some of the Willard’s environmental initiatives, and Hotel Manager Arpad Romandy added some additional insight into his career leading up to working at the Willard. Wendi then concluded the day with some information on career and internship opportunities at the Willard.

We look forward to visiting new sites in 2007-08. Interested? Contact Michael Quinn at quinnmp@jmu.edu today.

Feb. 9, 2007 - Top 10 Travel Trends to Watch in 2007
1. Leisure travel will continue to outpace business travel as business people try to use technology to avoid travel whenever appropriate and minimize growing travel and lodging costs.
2. Family travel will continue to grow faster than all other leisure travel as a way to reunite parents, grandparents and children faced with the increasing dominance of work.
3. Most travel suppliers will try to raise fares and rates as demand grows, capacity becomes strained and operating costs escalate.
4. The Internet will continue to dominate travel headlines, but usage for planning will remain flat while usage for bookings will continue to grow, albeit at a significantly lower rate.
5. Comparison shopping and the corresponding price transparency will become more common as consumers discover the power of meta-search engines such as kayak.com.
6. Lifestyle hotel brands such as NYLO, aloft, etc., will gain in popularity with the next generation of travelers (the Millennials), as well as older travelers who wish to look, act and feel like them.
7. Inclusive package pricing will expand from resorts to commercial hotels to offer travelers good value for just the basics–a comfortable bed, a good working desk, breakfast, high-speed Internet access and reward points.
8. Use of spas will continue to grow to alleviate the mounting stress in consumers’ lives, fueling the next generation of spa development in commercial hotels.
9. Cruises will continue remarkable growth via new ships, an aging population and good marketing, becoming an even more formidable competitor of land-based hotels and resorts.
10. The .travel Internet domain will become popular as suppliers market their products and services in a more refined online environment and consumers seek refuge from the contamination and frustration of the general .com domain.
Source: Hotel-Online newsletter

Jan. 25, 2007 - MadisonTRAK weekly newsletter

Jan. 18, 2007 - MadisonTRAK weekly newsletter

Jan. 16, 2007 - Employer-In-Residence Program. Take advantage of this opportunity to meet with an employer to conduct an informational interview, ask for a resume review, conduct a mock interview, or ask general questions regarding your job search and career goals. Sign-up for a half-hour session with an employer on MadisonTRAK no later than two days before the scheduled date. Just follow these easy steps: 1) Log-in to MadisonTRAK 2) Select On-Campus Interviewing Program 3) Under “Opportunities”, type “Employer in Residence” as the company name

Jan. 16, 2007 - Mock Interviews. Do you need to brush up on your interviewing skills? If so, then sign up for a mock interview on MadisonTRAK! Mock Interviews, sponsored by Career and Academic Planning, are an opportunity for you to practice interviewing with a REAL employer. The employer will offer you professional feedback on your performance. Mock Interviews are by appointment only and you must be registered on MadisonTRAK to sign up. All Mock Interviews are held in the Sonner Hall Interview Center, on the lower level.

Nov. 21, 2006 - James Madison University is recognized in The Washington Post for its travel industry classes. Article in PDF format.

Oct. 4, 2006 - Several CMAA students helped out at the Shenandoah Club's Annual Open House event in which Shenandoah club members were able to bring guests and enjoy great food and entertainment. Returning members of CMAA as well as new members were able to participate in this great learning opportunity. Pictured (L-R): Sylvia Cho, Jen Ton, Sarah Magee, Amanda Nessanbaum, Carolyn Rehman, Megan Flora, Stacey Peery.