Four hospitality students in the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics had the opportunity to attend the America’s Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) Conference at the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton hotel in Los Angeles in late January.
The event, the world’s leading and most influential hotel investment conference, included 3,000 industry leaders and featured high-level networking, deal-making and market-shaping conversations.
Abby Boyd a junior hospitality and event management experience major and president of the UD Hospitality Club; Tristan Fleischhacker, a junior hospitality industry management and finance double major; Kameron Gum, a senior hospitality industry management major; and Josselyn Southard, a junior hospitality and event experience management major; represented UD at the conference along with Assistant Professor of Hospitality Business Management Iuliana Theis.
The students worked different shifts to help with the coordination of the conference including registration, information desk and the VIP lounge, and were able to attend conference panels, presentations and workshops.
“Being able to attend the ALIS Conference was incredible,” Boyd said. “The opportunity to network with other students and industry professionals, attend speaker sessions and learn about the real estate, investment and development side of hospitality has truly deepened my understanding of the multitude of career paths that exist in this industry.”
Fleischhacker also mentioned learning about the many different types of careers within the hospitality industry.
“Most people think about the obvious roles like operations, finance, accounting or development, but the conference really showed how many niche specialties exist as well,” he said.
As an example, Fleischhacker mentioned meeting with someone who connects local artists with hotels to design artwork specifically for each property.
Both students also mentioned the importance of networking as a key takeaway from the experience.
“Putting yourself out there is so important to become successful, especially in an industry that is all about people,” Boyd said. “At its core, hospitality has shaped how I serve, lead and connect with others. Hospitality’s ability to bring people together and elevate everyday experiences is what continually fuels my drive and makes this career the right path for me.”
“Some of the most valuable conversations I had were with other students who are also trying to break into the industry,” Fleischhacker added. “We shared resources like certifications we’ve completed, contacts we’ve made and ways to improve our Excel skills for interviews. It’s also helpful to talk to people who are at the same stage in their careers and gives you a more realistic sense of where everyone is in the process.
“Overall, the conference reinforced how relationship-driven the hospitality industry is. Putting yourself out there and starting conversations can feel intimidating, but the culture of the industry makes it much easier and incredibly rewarding.”