The killing of George Floyd in May of 2020 stimulated long overdue conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the U.S. and around the world. Like other organizations, the leadership of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS) took up this topic to assess how CHS is meeting the needs of the diverse population of Hotelies that attended the Nolan School of Hotel Administration (SHA).
In the summer of 2020, the CHS board formed a DEI Committee co-chaired by Stacy Delapenha ’14, Rohan Gopaldas ’02 and Anna Chung ’03. To guide their efforts, the DEI Committee established the following mission statement.
The CHS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee exists to address the diversity and inclusion issues facing the Cornell Hotel Society and our alumni base. We will work to ensure that the Cornell Hotel Society and our chapters create an inclusive environment for all SHA alumni to be welcomed and valued members of the CHS community. The CHS DEI committee will also work to build awareness and educate our members around systemic issues that prevent equity across our organization and the hospitality industry at large.
The DEI committee leadership then sought input from multiple Hotelies. This research was intended to assess the needs of students of color in the Hotel School and provide direction for future actions of the committee and CHS.
The DEI Committee research concluded that not all Hotelies felt as included in CHS as others. With this understanding, the DEI Committee then sought to identify actions that could be taken to provide a more inclusive CHS environment.
The committee decided on a two-pronged approach.
- Change the factors that have limited an environment of inclusion within CHS.
- Offer a series educational sessions designed to educate Hotelies about DEI challenges. Not only could this help the development of a more inclusive environment within CHS, but the educated Hotelies could take their knowledge back to their professional organizations to improve inclusivity within the hospitality industry at-large.
Changing the Environment
As with most alumni organizations, CHS members get involved when their friends get involved. Active membership and leadership have diversified but has lagged the pace of the diversification of the student body and graduates. The DEI Committee recommends pairing active CHS members and leaders with young alumni of similar race, sex and ethnicity to stimulate greater participation across cultural differences. The goal is for all young alumni to feel welcomed, valued members of the CHS community, which will ultimately build upon the strength of the Hotelie network.
Another way to get young alumni active in CHS is to participate in the CHS Lobby. Accordingly, the DEI Committee created a National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) hub within the Lobby for alumni of color to interact.
Educational Sessions
The CHS DEI committee established the CHS Back to School series, a progression of online workshops that took place between September 2021 and February 2022.The sessions featured Hotelies and other industry leaders who have expertise in various aspects of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The series started with defining DEI and its state within our industry, then gave practical tools for both organizations and individuals to use within the workplace. The workshops in the CHS Back to School series are described below, and all recordings and resources can be found on the CHS Lobby.
| Workshop Title |
Date |
Featured Guests |
| Influencing Diversity Strategy in the Hospitality Industry |
September 16, 2021 |
● Peggy Berg, Founder and President of the Castell Project
● Greg DeShields, Executive Director of PHL Diversity Tourism Matters
|
| Building a Culture of Inclusion and Belonging |
October 21, 2021 |
● Baron Ah Moo ’93, Managing Director and Head of U.S. PKF HotelExperts
● Jodi Davidson, Vice President Global Diversity & Inclusion of Sodexo
● Allison Hill ’93, Head of Diversity & Social Responsibility at Roark Capital
● Ronisha Goodwin, Senior Manager of Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Hyatt Hotels
|
| Breaking the Middle Management Ceiling |
November 18, 2021 |
● Evan Frazier ’92, President and CEO of the Advanced Leadership Group
● Geraldine Guichardo ’10, Global Head of Research for Hotels & Hospitality and Director of Living Research Across the Americas at JLL
● Crystal Thomas ’08, Vice President and Global Brand Leader for Luxury & Lifestyle Brands at Hyatt Hotels Corporation
|
| Building Strong Mentorship and Sponsorship Relationships |
December 16, 2021 |
● Victor Younger, Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration
● Tracy Prigmore, Founder of TLTsolutions and She Has A Deal
● Telesa Via, Vice President of Sales for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
● Bill Minnock ’79, Visiting Professor of Practice at the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration
|
| Unconscious Bias Workshop* |
January 20, 2022 |
● Fenimore Fisher, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at Aramark
● Donnice Peterson, Employee Resource Group Manager at Aramark
|
| Intergroup Dialogue Workshop* |
February 24, 2022 |
This session was led by Cornell’s Intergroup Dialogue Project (IDP) and presented IDP core concepts |
*This session was not recorded
To view recordings and resources from the Back to School series, please visit:
https://thelobby.cornellhotelsociety.com/media_center?mediacenter-files-items[tags][14459]=true
Next Steps
Following the Back to School series, the CHS DEI Committee is launching a mentorship program for students from minority serving institutions who are interested in building a career in the hospitality industry. The program is called Hospitality Career Coaching Circles (HC3) and is designed to help BIPOC students expand their networks and develop critical skills as they transition into hospitality careers. The committee is launching a beta version of the program this Fall. If you are interested in becoming a mentor as a part of our upcoming program, please contact Baron Ah Moo ‘93 ([email protected]).
After a two-year term with the original co-chairs, the CHS DEI Committee will be led by Abirami Dandapani ‘21 and Jacqueline Perkins ‘13 for 2022-2024. To volunteer with the DEI Committee, please reach out to Abi ([email protected]) or Jackie ([email protected]).
MMH Student Research Survey – Alumni Assistance Requested
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumEmployee Perceptions Regarding the Morality of Their Company’s HR Management Practices
To most low-income students from Vietnam, getting a college degree is our dream, let alone a degree from abroad. Coming from a similar background as a first-generation college student, I overcame the social barriers and prove to others otherwise. Not only did I earn a bachelor with honors from Michigan State University, but I also got in one of the most competitive master’s programs in hospitality at Cornell University. The program at the Nolan School of Hotel Administration has helped me advance my research skills and prepare my application for a doctorate degree. My hope is that managers will better understand their employees and improve employees’ work experience, and at the same time, achieve higher financial goals thanks to low turnover rates.
The more I research and encounter employees at the university, the more I feel committed to improve employees’ experience and reduce social injustice in the hospitality industry through my work. One key variable that appears in almost every conversation in the field of hospitality is turnover. I have realized that extant literature has found important factors of turnover. Nevertheless, the topic of morality and turnover has yet to be discussed. As such, I decided to ground my thesis project in the hospitality industry and focus on employee perceptions about the morality of their firm’s HR management practices and the extent to which such perceptions may be linked to their work experiences and intentions to stay/leave. With my thesis, I want to increase employers’ awareness of individual differences among employees.
I am seeking a large sample of hotel and restaurant employees, so any assistance you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Here’s the link: https://forms.gle/fYmemW9bqCSdap1HA
All the best,
Vinh Le
MS Hotel Administration
Nolan School of Hotel Administration
Cornell University
[email protected]
San Diego Hotelies Gather to Celebrate SHA 100
/in Chapter Event/by Robert MandelbaumOn October 28, San Diego area Hotelies gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Hotel School. It was the first event in almost four years for the San Diego chapter, but WELL worth the wait! Farmer and the Seahorse’s Anderson Clark ’08 and Chef Sam Deckman lead alumni through an incredible reception and four-course wine paired menu.
What an amazing night reconnecting as alumni… celebrating 100 years of Hotelie tradition and doing what Hotelie’s do best… gathering over amazing food. Huge thanks to Sarah Latimer ‘05 (SD CHS President) for her leadership and loyalty.
Atlanta Hotelies Celebrate 100th Anniversary
/in Chapter Event/by Robert MandelbaumThe CHS Georgia Chapter was honored to have several young alumni, as well as CHS leaders in attendance:
Georgia Lodging Outlook 2023
/in Chapter Event/by Robert MandelbaumOn Wednesday, September 14, 2022 the Georgia Chapter of the Cornell Hotel Society collaborated with the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association to host the annual Georgia Lodging Outlook breakfast seminar. A crowd of nearly 400 area hotel industry professionals were in attendance. This year’s event was held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Downtown Atlanta.
Jim Sprouse, President of the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association, and CHS Georgia chapter President Lindsay McCall ‘12 provided welcome remarks. Lindsay then handed out two complimentary online course certificates donated by eCornell. CHS Global President Mark Woodworth ’77 then took over as Master of Ceremonies and Moderator for the entire program.
The first educational panel addressed the current labor shortage plaguing the industry. Sharing their expertise were Adam Glickman ‘02, Vice President of Marketing for Hotel Effectiveness by Actabl, Bryan DeCort, Chief Operating Officer of Hotel Equities, and Gregory Winey, Founder/Principal of NorthPointe Hospitality Management.
Following the labor panel, local area experts presented their outlook for 2023:
CHS Georgia thanks for the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association for their $3,000 donation to the CHS Georgia Chapter scholarship fund.
2022 Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award Winners – Jason Ling ‘23
/in Scholarship, Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumIn 2019 the Cornell Hotel Society established the Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award. The award was designed to recognize and celebrate Phil Miller’s legacy as a builder of networks and relationships. For decades Phil was the heart of the Cornell Hotelie for Life® that is the foundation of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS). The award is given to students that demonstrate an understanding of the spirit of Phil Miller – the importance of connecting and giving back.
The winners of the award in 2022 were Caleb Trieu ’23, Hailey Nelson ’23, and Jason Ling ‘23. Below we share Jason’s story.
About Jason Ling ‘23
While in high school in Atlanta, Jason was very active in the Future Business Leaders of America organization. Jason became a statewide leader, and eventually found himself planning several conferences throughout the year. One of Jason’s mentors within Future Business Leaders noticed his talent for planning meetings and encouraged Jason to consider the Nolan Hotel School (SHA) at Cornell. After some research, Jason quickly learned that Cornell was the best place to go to study hospitality and concluded, “Why not be the best!”.
Jason took a tour of Cornell, but he did not have a great experience. His parents insisted that he visit Ithaca again, and the second time was a charm. Jason and his family stayed at The Statler Hotel, spoke with several students, and he fell in love with the school.
Upon arrival as a student, Jason was somewhat intimidated by his classmates. He did not have as strong a hospitality background as others, but that gave him no biases when determining what area of hospitality he would favor over the next four years. To gain hospitality experience, Jason immediately went to work at The Statler,
Jason credits two professors as having significant impact during his time at Cornell, and development as a person. Professor Andrew Quagliata (Communications) has helped Jason defined the person he wants to be outside of school, and how to balance his life. Professor Kasey Tarantino (Advanced Business Modeling and Business Computing) hired Jason as a Teaching Assistant and provided him with an opportunity to connect with his peers and underclassmen.
Jason’s summer jobs have been real estate and finance oriented. He has spent time with Wells Fargo, HREC, and CKH Group. Outside of the classroom Jason is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board, and has been a member of multiple singing ensembles, including serving as President of the Glee Club his senior year. Upon graduation, Jason wants to combine his understanding of real estate and passion for ESG values.
One of Jason’s first experiences with the Hotelie network was reading an article in Hotelie Magazine. Seeing how important and supportive the Hotelie network is to its members was a major factor that contributed to his decision to attend Cornell versus staying home to attend Georgia Tech. Jason is considering traveling to the CHS regional event in Vietnam during the fall of 2022, or the CHS regional event in Amsterdam in the spring of 2023.
Picture below: Jason (left) attends the Cornell Alumni Association of Atlanta new student reception in August of 2022.
* * *
The Cornell Hotel Society and Cornell Hotel Foundation congratulate Caleb, Hailey, and Jason, and welcome them to the Hotelie for Life® network. These interviews were conducted by Robert Mandelbaum ’81.
2022 Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award Winner – Hailey Nelson ’23
/in Scholarship, Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumIn 2019 the Cornell Hotel Society established the Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award. The award was designed to recognize and celebrate Phil Miller’s legacy as a builder of networks and relationships. For decades Phil was the heart of the Cornell Hotelie for Life® that is the foundation of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS). The award is given to students that demonstrate an understanding of the spirit of Phil Miller – the importance of connecting and giving back.
The winners of the award in 2022 were Caleb Trieu ’23, Hailey Nelson ’23, and Jason Ling ‘23. Below we share Hailey’s story.
About Hailey Nelson ‘23
Despite the fact that Hailey’s older brother attended Cornell, she knew nothing about the Nolan Hotel School (SHA). What she did know was her passion for cooking.
Hailey wanted to pursue a career in food and beverage, so she looked into attending a culinary program after high school. Knowing Hailey had an entrepreneurial streak in her, her parents recommended that she look at business schools as well. After Googling “business and food”, Cornell appeared as an answer that offered two potential solutions – The Food Industry Management program at The Dyson School, and the Hospitality Management Program at The Hotel School. After visiting the campus, it was her conversation with an SHA Ambassador that convinced her to apply The Hotel School.
While at SHA, Hailey has taken advantage of several F&B related classes, clubs and jobs. Ironically, it was a Food Science course in the Ag School that kicked off her culinary journey in Ithaca. After that Hailey especially excelled at her beverage courses and eventually became a Teaching Assistant for Professor Doug Miller (beers) and Professor Cheryl Stanley (wines). Outside of the classroom, Hailey founded the Food and Beverage Society, a social media driven club that attracted guest speakers to address students online during COVID. During the summer Hailey has worked at Wings Over, the Button Grove Winery, and EJ Gallo, as well as holding a remote internship with Lettuce Entertain You.
Hailey has taken full advantage of the Hotelie network and has thoroughly enjoyed her experiences with alumni. She was fortunate enough to attend the CHS EMEA Chapter event in Rome, Italy during the spring of 2022, and then traveled to New York to attend the SHA 100th Anniversary Banquet. At the 100th anniversary event she was very impressed seeing the hundreds of Hotelies that traveled to NYC to honor one of their own – Elizabeth Blau ’97. All these experiences have motivated her to continue her connections with SHA after graduation, and return to Ithaca to share her knowledge in the future.
Picture below: Hailey (far left) attending the CHS EMEA annual regional meeting in Rome, April of 2022.
* * *
The Cornell Hotel Society and Cornell Hotel Foundation congratulate Caleb, Hailey, and Jason, and welcome them to the Hotelie for Life® network. These interviews were conducted by Robert Mandelbaum ’81.
2022 Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award Winner – Caleb Trieu ’23
/in Scholarship, Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumIn 2019 the Cornell Hotel Society established the Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award. The award was designed to recognize and celebrate Phil Miller’s legacy as a builder of networks and relationships. For decades Phil was the heart of the Cornell Hotelie for Life® that is the foundation of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS). The award is given to students that demonstrate an understanding of the spirit of Phil Miller – the importance of connecting and giving back.
The winners of the award in 2022 were Caleb Trieu ’23, Hailey Nelson ’23, and Jason Ling ‘23. Below we share Caleb’s story.
About Caleb Trieu ‘23
Growing up in Bakersfield, CA it was only natural that Caleb would consider a STEM career in the oil or agriculture industry. Accordingly, most of his college applications were for industrial engineering programs. Ultimately Caleb was accepted to the prestigious engineering program at the University of California, Berkeley.
Caleb always enjoyed exploring the world beyond Bakersfield. He held a deep-seated love for travel and found the Nolan Cornell Hotel School (SHA) as a highly attractive alternative to studying engineering. After being accepted to Cornell, Caleb had to make the difficult decision to follow the traditional route and attend UC Berkeley or follow his passion for travel and enroll at SHA.
It was at this point in life that he got his first taste of the Hotelie network. Professor Sean Rogers connected with Caleb and ultimately convinced him to travel across the country to Ithaca, versus upstate to Berkeley. Caleb was so impressed that Professor Rogers would take the time to speak with an applicant and help him with one of the most important decisions he would make in life.
Caleb’s experience at SHA has served to boost his passion for the hospitality industry. While Caleb entered school thinking about a career in the airline business, multiple classes have exposed him to all facets of the hospitality industry. His summer and COVID gap year experiences reflect the diversity of his interests. Away from Ithaca Caleb has worked at United and American Airlines, HREC in Denver, Hilton in San Francisco, and EY in Miami. Outside of the classroom Caleb is a member of the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, has served as a leader of the Cornell Real Estate Consulting Club and the Air & Sea Hospitality Club, and follows his faith by joining The Chesterton House, a Christian residential community.
While Caleb has yet to decide on his career path after graduation, he wants to show his gratitude and appreciation for all the relationships he has made that have contributed to his exceptional Hotelie college experience. He is amazed at the commitment Hotelie alumni have to help each other, students and faculty and aspires to be an active alum that gives back after graduating.
Picture below: Caleb (center) spends time with friends during his night managing at Establishment.
* * *
The Cornell Hotel Society and Cornell Hotel Foundation congratulate Caleb, Hailey, and Jason, and welcome them to the Hotelie for Life® network. These interviews were conducted by Robert Mandelbaum ’81.
Cornell Hotel Society – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumThe killing of George Floyd in May of 2020 stimulated long overdue conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the U.S. and around the world. Like other organizations, the leadership of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS) took up this topic to assess how CHS is meeting the needs of the diverse population of Hotelies that attended the Nolan School of Hotel Administration (SHA).
In the summer of 2020, the CHS board formed a DEI Committee co-chaired by Stacy Delapenha ’14, Rohan Gopaldas ’02 and Anna Chung ’03. To guide their efforts, the DEI Committee established the following mission statement.
The CHS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee exists to address the diversity and inclusion issues facing the Cornell Hotel Society and our alumni base. We will work to ensure that the Cornell Hotel Society and our chapters create an inclusive environment for all SHA alumni to be welcomed and valued members of the CHS community. The CHS DEI committee will also work to build awareness and educate our members around systemic issues that prevent equity across our organization and the hospitality industry at large.
The DEI committee leadership then sought input from multiple Hotelies. This research was intended to assess the needs of students of color in the Hotel School and provide direction for future actions of the committee and CHS.
The DEI Committee research concluded that not all Hotelies felt as included in CHS as others. With this understanding, the DEI Committee then sought to identify actions that could be taken to provide a more inclusive CHS environment.
The committee decided on a two-pronged approach.
Changing the Environment
As with most alumni organizations, CHS members get involved when their friends get involved. Active membership and leadership have diversified but has lagged the pace of the diversification of the student body and graduates. The DEI Committee recommends pairing active CHS members and leaders with young alumni of similar race, sex and ethnicity to stimulate greater participation across cultural differences. The goal is for all young alumni to feel welcomed, valued members of the CHS community, which will ultimately build upon the strength of the Hotelie network.
Another way to get young alumni active in CHS is to participate in the CHS Lobby. Accordingly, the DEI Committee created a National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) hub within the Lobby for alumni of color to interact.
Educational Sessions
The CHS DEI committee established the CHS Back to School series, a progression of online workshops that took place between September 2021 and February 2022.The sessions featured Hotelies and other industry leaders who have expertise in various aspects of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The series started with defining DEI and its state within our industry, then gave practical tools for both organizations and individuals to use within the workplace. The workshops in the CHS Back to School series are described below, and all recordings and resources can be found on the CHS Lobby.
● Greg DeShields, Executive Director of PHL Diversity Tourism Matters
● Jodi Davidson, Vice President Global Diversity & Inclusion of Sodexo
● Allison Hill ’93, Head of Diversity & Social Responsibility at Roark Capital
● Ronisha Goodwin, Senior Manager of Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Hyatt Hotels
● Geraldine Guichardo ’10, Global Head of Research for Hotels & Hospitality and Director of Living Research Across the Americas at JLL
● Crystal Thomas ’08, Vice President and Global Brand Leader for Luxury & Lifestyle Brands at Hyatt Hotels Corporation
● Tracy Prigmore, Founder of TLTsolutions and She Has A Deal
● Telesa Via, Vice President of Sales for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
● Bill Minnock ’79, Visiting Professor of Practice at the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration
● Donnice Peterson, Employee Resource Group Manager at Aramark
*This session was not recorded
To view recordings and resources from the Back to School series, please visit:
https://thelobby.cornellhotelsociety.com/media_center?mediacenter-files-items[tags][14459]=true
Next Steps
Following the Back to School series, the CHS DEI Committee is launching a mentorship program for students from minority serving institutions who are interested in building a career in the hospitality industry. The program is called Hospitality Career Coaching Circles (HC3) and is designed to help BIPOC students expand their networks and develop critical skills as they transition into hospitality careers. The committee is launching a beta version of the program this Fall. If you are interested in becoming a mentor as a part of our upcoming program, please contact Baron Ah Moo ‘93 ([email protected]).
After a two-year term with the original co-chairs, the CHS DEI Committee will be led by Abirami Dandapani ‘21 and Jacqueline Perkins ‘13 for 2022-2024. To volunteer with the DEI Committee, please reach out to Abi ([email protected]) or Jackie ([email protected]).
Nieberding ’13 / Yuschik ’14 Wedding
/in Uncategorized/by Robert MandelbaumOn October 23, 2021, Michele Nieberding ’13 married her high school sweetheart and fellow Hotelie James Yuschik ’14. The ceremony was held at the Raspberry Plain Manor in Leesburg, Virginia. Included in the wedding party were Michele’s brother (Chris ’13) and sister (Carolyn ’13). Officiating was Michele’s uncle Lee Pillsbury ’69. Michele and James celebrated the day with several other Hotelies in attendance.
Baltimore/DC Chapter Hosts 2022 Summer Interns
/in Chapter Event/by Robert MandelbaumOn July 28, 2022, current Hotelies interning in the Baltimore / DC area gathered for happy hour to meet local alumni. The event was held at Boardwalk Bar and Arcade at the Wharf.