What started during the days of Prohibition, before there was even a
Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, has now become a
traditional event that is highly anticipated by the school’s alumni and
industry professionals around the country. This weekend, The Hotel Ezra
Cornell was held for the 86th year, this edition of the student-run
hotel conference featured some discussions on the biggest topics of the
day from some of the most prominent names in the hospitality industry.
And, of course, this year’s conference, as in past years, served as a
showcase for the students of the school as well as the culmination of
the vast educational efforts of the industry.
“It the one event each year where we showcase all of the education in one place,” Dean Michael Johnson told the audience.
While industry members such as Edwin Fuller, managing director and
president of Marriott Lodging International; Patricia Harris, global
chief diversity office of McDonalds Corporation; Gerald Lawless,
chairman of Jumeirah; Stephen Haggerty, global head of real estate and
development at Hyatt Hotels and Resorts; and Nancy Johnson, executive
vice president and chief development officer for Carlson Hotels
Worldwide and AH&LA vice chair; were among the many speaker; the
stars of the conference where the numerous hospitality students who
worked tirelessly to organize and mange the event.
“Our first goal is to showcase the students and what they’ve
learned,” said Alix Morris, a senior who serves as communication
director for the conference. “The experience is real-world.”
The Hotel Ezra Cornell is a student-run organization. Each year, the
organization chooses a managing director—this year it was Willis
Cheng—and hospitality students earn positions on the board of directors
and other positions within the organization. Once the board of directors
is in place students apply for management positions in the fall
semester.
During the six-credit course, they use their skills and education to
organize the conference, which is annually attended by nearly 300
guests. The program also utilizes approximately 300-400 student
volunteers each year, from both inside and outside the School of Hotel
Administration.
The program is designed as a way for students to gain an experiential
education in hospitality. “There’s a lot to be said for theory, but you
can build upon theory with practice,” Morris said. “It’s a way to take
learning from the classroom to an environment where can make mistakes
and learn from those mistakes.”
Meanwhile, students in the program get the chance to learn valuable
lessons about themselves, and to practice their craft in the real-word.
“One of the most valuable lessons has been interpersonal, working on
your management style,” said Annie Marlow, a senior who serves as rooms
director. “You have the opportunity to figure out what works for you.”
As for the conference itself, this year’s edition featured lively
discussion on emerging markets, global development, diversity, and
hospitality education around the world.
In the end, the students embraced the challenge and the learning
opportunity, despite a large time commitment while keeping up with other
course work.
“Through thick and thin it’s definitely a challenge, but stick with
it because I see the benefit at the end,” Morris says. “From an
operations standpoint, this is the most valuable benefit you can
receive.”