Reflection
My experience as a global learning student
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The ability to develop a global perspective might be challenging for some. I grew up in Connecticut in a somewhat diverse town, but it is miniscule compared to the booming tropical city where I found myself in at the age of 17. When I moved to Miami, I experienced a huge culture shock. Though I am Latina, there were some customs that were only shared by my immediate family such as the "cheek-kiss". Once I saw how close-knit the Miami community was, I knew I was in for a fun ride!
When I first started college, I wanted to be an orthodontist. I was ready to go through 11 years of school to reach my goal. The reason behind this: I just wanted everyone to feel comfortable enough to smile, because being comfortable enough to showcase your happiness is a big thing for me. However, after shadowing an orthodontist, I realized that I wanted the option to expand my reach. Working in a hotel during this time made me wonder if I wanted to do international business, but then found hospitality management as my sweet spot.
Once I was in this program, I had the pleasure of taking Social Responsibility and Environmental Facilities Management. I had the pleasure of working on various volunteer projects, such as beautifying an elementary school and working with Dr. Buschman doing Food Rescue at SOBEWFF. In Dr. Scanlon's class, I worked with a team to put together the blueprint for a sustainable hotel complete with an organic garden on-site for the chefs to use for their preparation. My idea is to have several of these initiatives throughout the hotel, which creates an opportunity for a tour for guests and visitors when necessary.
These classes worked hand in hand to put me on track to the career goals I have now. While I was finishing my HM degree, I added a certificate in environmental studies to further equip me with the knowledge necessary to take the world by storm.
The tourism industry touches every part of the globe, and if we aren't responsible then I don't believe we are being truly hospitable. I feel that the ultimate act of hospitality is to make sure that our resources and natural wonders are here to enjoy for generations to come.
I feel that diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and community responsibility are all important on a local, global, and international level. To elaborate, if we start small and local, we can create a ripple effect to reach international and global communities. In the tourism industry especially, as it is a global industry, these aspects are key for a thriving world in the future.
In my professional life following graduation from FIU, I am looking to become the driving force for a company to make sure they are doing good things for their community and acting responsibly. This summer, I will be interning with Costa Farms and helping to build and engage buy-in of their corporate safety plan. I am also in the process of applying to the University of Miami's Master of Science in Sustainable Business in hopes to further hone my analytical and problem-solving skills to become an asset to any company that brings me onboard. Outside of work, I plan on continuing my duties as a volunteer whether it be in restoration, beach clean-ups, food rescue missions, or anything in between. These habits will be passed on to my family which will hopefully create a brand new generation of people with their hearts in the right place.