Finding a World of Adventure at UMass

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Adventure can start from unlikely places, just ask Isabella Siefken, whose adventure began in classrooms at UMass Amherst and took her all over the world. Isabella, a member of the class of 2024, knew she wanted to work in the field of hospitality and tourism management since she was in high school. So when it was time to select a college, her research led her to UMass with its “high-ranking hospitality program, an amazing academic program, and a great student life to be a part of.” Isabella visited campus twice, once for a traditional tour and once more for an in-depth destination day. In these two glimpses at the UMass experience she “became enamored with the student participation, the clubs, the opportunities, and everything that UMass would have to offer.”

Once Isabella arrived at UMass, she found no shortage of academic and professional opportunities through the school. She enjoyed being in a smaller and close-knit major as it made her feel she was getting more attention from professors than most students. She joined the UMass chapter of the American Hotel Lodging Association, where she gained experience and connections with peers within her major. She also found community as a part of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. And finally, as a junior, Isabella was accepted into a prestigious work and study abroad program with Cesar Ritz Colleges. 

The first half of Isabella’s experience entailed studying the ins and outs of the hospitality industry at the Cesar Ritz colleges in Switzerland. There she was immersed in “classes that taught me valuable skills that I take into consideration now and will continue to do in the future … I learned about the hospitality industry more in-depth in this location and even learned how to manage my own event. The knowledge that I learned during my time at Cesar Ritz is knowledge that will last a lifetime.”

Following this thorough education from some of the best in the world, it was time for Isabella to move on to the work portion of the program. Her Cesar Ritz advisor “asked me where my dream internship would be located and I told him I would love to work in the Ritz-Carlton in Barcelona. A week later, he put me in contact with the recruiter from this hotel so I could meet with her for an interview. A couple of weeks later, I was offered an internship at my dream hotel.” Once she arrived in Spain, she became immersed in one of the world’s most prestigious luxury hotels and got to put her experience to use while bolstering her resume. 

Overall, Isabella had nothing but positive things to say about the HTM major, especially during her time abroad. She happily reflected that, “I was able to learn more about the world, different cultures, and myself in ways that I would not have been able to if I had not spent the full year abroad. The friendships that I have made along the way and in the different locations will stick with me for the rest of my life. This was a wonderful opportunity and experience I believe every student should experience no matter how long they may go for.”