As the hospitality industry grows around the world, K-State’s hospitality management department continues to seek ways to provide transformational educational experiences for students. Study abroad experiences help students to experience the world, grow, develop and understand the global nature of the hospitality industry. In spring of 2016, two senior hospitality management students, Kaitlin Martin and Mary-Katherine Kearney, capitalized on the opportunities K-State offers and studied at Lorenzo de’ Medici on the Florence campus, Italy.
Their experience was fun and a lot of hard work: Martin took 12 credit and Kearney took 15. Both students are in the event planning track. Both students took a food and wine pairing course, which had a final exam that included preparing a full meal and selecting Italian wines to match the flavors of the meal. Their final pairing was graded by three local chefs.
Both students were able to explore Europe and visited Spain, France, Hungary, Austria and Amsterdam. They agreed that their experience helped them mature and appreciate the world around them.
“When you’re in another country it takes independence to a whole new level,” said Martin.
“The world got slightly smaller once I got to Europe. The other side of the world was suddenly right in front of me. Now when I think of places to apply to work, or places to travel to I am no longer limited to what others believe is reasonable,” added Kearney.