While many Huskies left for home during the summer, some business administration majors with an emphasis in hospitality and tourism management (B.A. in HTM) stayed behind for an incredible experiential learning opportunity.
Through our BADM 458 internship course — a required course for students studying HTM —students gain firsthand knowledge about event planning and hospitality at four different NIU locations — our Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center and our Altgeld Hall and Conference Registration and Continuing Education Management Department on campus, our NIU Naperville campus and our NIU Rockford campus.
Interns through BADM 458 became career-ready by doing a wide variety of real-world tasks in these venues. They built skills by shadowing wedding planners at tastings, working as part of a catering department, learning audio/visual systems in large settings, advertising on social media, leading an on-campus food science summer camp for high schoolers interested in areas of hospitality, and much more.
Megan Noe, a senior in our hospitality and tourism management program, worked as an intern this summer. A nontraditional student, Noe first worked to put her husband through college, and now it is her turn to earn her degree. When it came to choosing a major, she felt drawn to the hospitality and tourism world.
“I have often had my hand in hospitality in some form of another,” she said. “I started working as a cashier at a Burger King, then worked my way up to assistant manager. I joined the U.S. Navy after that, and while my main job didn’t have anything to do with hospitality, my collateral duty was to help with events, like picnics and fundraisers, for the squadron. I also had a temporary duty to work in Starbucks on the USS Truman. I always enjoyed these types of jobs as there is always something to do and no day is ever the same.
“It is also easy to switch the type of job you can do within hospitality, so it gives that extra movement for someone like me who always wants something new and a challenge,” Noe said.
Through her internship with NIU’s Conference and Event Services, Noe learned that details are an ever-changing process and being flexible is a must.
“I also think communication is key in this industry, as one person not getting the correct updated information can cause a lot of confusion,” Noe said, adding that this type of practical education has helped her to narrow down the types of events she would like to work and the types of roles that fit her best.
Noe noted that she has relied a great deal on our program’s faculty to get through her education.
“The instructors are passionate about the field,” she said. “The faculty have been great at building a network of support. I have a fantastic advisor, Steph Horgan, who was able to steer me toward management and certificate for nonprofit and NGO studies. A lot of our professors also have a solid network with other businesses, so it is easier to make connections with companies when looking for a job after graduating or for an internship,” she said.
As for life after earning her degree, Noe sees herself working in events management for an association or a resort in event sales. One day, her ream job would be to open her own event rental business or to be a professional planner for events and nonprofit fundraising.
Lan Li, an instructor for our hospitality and tourism program, was impressed by Noe’s performance under pressure during her summer internship. Noe, like the other five interns in our program this summer, was part of the first group of students enrolled in our B.A. in HTM program within the College of Business, which launched in fall 2022.
“Megan is an excellent student with an impressive background,” Li said. “Megan represents the HTM emphasis well, and as she concludes her internship in August, we aim to raise awareness about our B.A. in HTM emphasis on campus and to attract greater student interest in hospitality and travel as a promising career choice, especially in the post-COVID era.”
Gina Kenyon, director of Institutional Conferencing for NIU’s Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development, is proud that students like Noe can gain hands-on experience at our university’s four very different event venues and within the Conferences Registration and Continuing Management department.
“Megan transitioned seamlessly through each venue and was a tremendous asset in each of her roles,” Kenyon said. “From the daily tasks at our busy event venues to several special projects, she was a rock star. Megan has a very bright future in this industry and any employer would be lucky to have her.”
If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more about the diverse career prospects within the dynamic field of hospitality and tourism management, mark your calendar for our NIU Student Hospitality Association’s “Hospitality Day — Meet the Firm” event 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, at Barsema Hall. This event is catered to internship and full-time job opportunities in the hospitality and travel industry, and all majors are welcome.
