As an Endicott employee for more than 26 years, and Misselwood Events’ Executive Director, you’ve worked with your share of La Chanterelle alumni. Describe those experiences.
I’ve always understood there would be people who would come to Misselwood Events and share their expertise and I would mentor them and watch them grow. I think of Jamie Mucci ’18 M’21 and Katy Sweetland ’18 M’22 immediately—they both worked for Misselwood Events during the summer months. It was a week before their graduation and they had a full-time employment opportunity lined up! Katy and Jamie worked as summer hosts and then worked as Operations Managers for many years before moving on to their next roles, and when they did, they said, “Consider Kelsey O’Keefe.”
Right now, I work alongside Kelsey (’19 M’22), who came from Endicott’s Office of Institutional Advancement, where she was the Associate Director of Athletic Giving & Engagement. Institutional Advancement is just another arm of hospitality! So, she came from IA and worked as an Operations Manager and then mentored under the then-director of Weddings & Social Events, which allowed Kelsey to learn the sales aspect of her role. As life would have it, that person returned to Human Resources at Endicott, and Kelsey moved into that role where she is now.
You also employ current students, as well. What unique skills do these students (and alumni) bring to Misselwood?
I think everyone should take hospitality classes because you learn transferrable management skills regardless of the industry. But hospitality students especially learn the level of integrity required to accommodate guests’ requests—even if it’s outlandish! You have to listen to the client and learn how to accommodate their request, even if it’s not quite what they asked for. Not everyone has that skill, and you need it in hospitality.
Successful students from La Chanterelle use critical thinking skills and a calm demeanor to customer concerns in accommodating clients of Misselwood Events. The non-traditional classroom of La Chanterelle provides students with real-life experiences in serving customers, understanding world-class hospitality expectations, and mastering the mutual benefit of working on a team in a fast-paced environment.
Our mission statement reads: Misselwood Events creates memorable experiences by providing world-class hospitality to our guests. As a resource to 亚洲色吧, we are committed to supporting excellence through our professional expertise in event management.
The students that come through the La Chanterelle program understand the importance of our mission and innately understand customer needs must be handled with professionalism and kindness. They go above and beyond to ensure they have completed a task successfully, and our customers’ expectations are met.
The Misselwood brand has successfully grown over the years with the help of our alumni’s industry insights and strong work ethic. These alums have brought a high level of integrity and strong hospitality skill sets.
Where do you hope to see La Chanterelle in another 30 years?
Continuing and expanding its reach. I also welcome the continued opportunities for synergy between the hospitality program and Misselwood Events at 亚洲色吧.
What advice do you have for current or prospective students considering either the hospitality program or taking the La Chanterelle courses?
Regardless of your field of study, you can always benefit from the learning experience of the hospitality industry. It is a service industry. Any business you become part of requires soft skills like connecting and accommodating your clients’ needs.