From Genesee Community College:
Four in a row! Another Genesee Community College student has won the annual Ontario Motor Coach Association (OMCA) Education Foundation scholarship. Dana Landers, a sophomore at Genesee and a resident of Alden, NY, has received a $1000 scholarship from the organization this year, making this the fourth consecutive year that a Genesee student has claimed the award. Dana, a Tourism and Hospitality Management major, will be traveling to Toronto later in October to attend the annual OMCA convention and to receive her award.
Dana, the daughter of Frederick and Ilene Landers of Alden, NY, received the scholarship based on her high GPA, her active involvement in industry clubs and events, and her long-term goal of launching a successful career in the travel and tourism industry by earning an Associate in Applied Science degree from Genesee's Tourism and Hospitality Management program. She hopes to become an event planner for a resort or not-for-profit organization, and may continue her education to a higher level.
"My last career actually led me to my desire to become an event planner. I was an exhibit sales administrator and organized trade shows for financial investors and traders, "Dana said. "I enjoyed traveling to show sites, supervising set-up, and providing services throughout the event."
Dana is now actively involved in Genesee's Travel Club and she is the president of Student Support Services at Genesee Community College. She participated in the trip to Las Vegas and also took an active role in the planning of the reception for the College's annual Fashion Show in April 2008.
As a student in Genesee Community College's Tourism and Hospitality Management A.A.S. program, Dana's studies include hotel operations, food and beverage management, and meeting and convention planning, as well as courses in accounting, professional sales, marketing, human relations, and public speaking. The hospitality and tourism industry is the largest and fastest growing industry in the world. It is estimated that in 2007, more than 100 million people worldwide were employed in this sector and there are more than 62,000 establishments in the United States alone that provide overnight accommodations to suit every interest and budget.
Dana is eager to become part of this flourishing industry. "I plan to become an event planner so I may be able to make people's event vision become a reality."
In addition to the Associate in Applied Science degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management, Genesee Community College also offers a Hospitality Management certificate program for anyone interested in an accelerated one-year introduction to the world's fastest-growing industry. For further information contact Amy Bowles, Hospitality Management instructor at 585-343-0055 x 6332 or visit the Web site.
