The Student Volunteer Experience, Part Two

Published by: Fernando Sarmiento

The Confront of an Group:

Last 7 days I got the chance and privilege to stand for the College of Houston Conrad N. Hilton Higher education for World wide Hospitality Management as a single of 18 scholar volunteers for HITEC 2022 (June 27-30), the world’s biggest and oldest hospitality technological know-how and finance convention. In celebration of its 50^th anniversary, the celebration was held at Orlando’s legendary Orange County Convention Heart, in which above 6,000 attendees and exhibitor gathered to focus on alternatives to key worries our field faces, as very well as set forth the newest merchandise and expert services, with the intention of earning our customers and operating lives a tiny far better.

As a seasoned party-goer myself, I was humbled by how a lot I uncovered and gained 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 qualified connections, and ongoing to learn outside the house of the classroom.

The Operate and the Men and women:

We ended up requested to support as the welcoming facial area of HFTP by orienting and assisting both attendees and exhibitors in the course of the meeting, supplying normal help in the course of sessions, and of study course, holding the organizers knowledgeable of just about anything suitable.

Despite the fact that the pupil volunteers had been reliable with a very essential undertaking, it in no way really felt like operate because the leadership at the rear of the party ended up all truly enthusiastic about our role and place in excellent work to make us all sense welcomed, geared up and associated through.

Likewise, I was shocked by a lot of of my fellow students’ etiquette and understanding of the industry. But it was genuinely their sunny disposition and kindness toward anyone that built them this sort of a memorable blend of people to get the job done along with with. These amazing college students from hospitality-related fields arrived from different colleges throughout the country, these as San Jose State University, Northern Arizona University, New York College, as well the Valencia School (to title a number of).

The Substance:

We had been encouraged to attend sessions of our curiosity, converse with knowledgeable specialists from the hospitality industry, and wallop HITEC exhibitors with thoughts.

With this event becoming HITEC’s 50^th anniversary, the organizers and their partners were certain to include things like some interesting things to do in the method, this sort of as the HITEC Opening Party at SeaWorld Orlando introduced by Venza and CyberTek, in which I bought both my toes and mobile phone wet the HFTP Youthful Gurus (YP) Meet up with-up at The Tin Roof, which was a meet up with-and-greet about light beverages and treats, hosted by HFTP and AAHOA and sponsored by Aimbridge Hospitality (pictured earlier mentioned) and a special “Fireside Chat” session with lodge mogul Mr. Harris Rosen as section of HFTP’s 2022 Leadership Excellence Series.

Over-all, volunteering at HITEC was an inspiring encounter for me, and I would invite other students to contemplate volunteering at the next option they get. It is a probability for students to get a perception of doing the job on the entrance lines of event-preparing, understand extra about the hospitality field and its technological and economical elements, operate on your networking capabilities and make new lifelong friends and qualified connections. It is really a lot truly worth the try.

Fernando Sarmiento is a pupil at the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton Higher education for World-wide Hospitality Management and scholar volunteer at HITEC Orlando 2022.