Hospitality Management students attended the STR Market competition in NYC on November 10, 2019. This is a culmination of a large research project in HM 664 ,Advanced Lodging Operations with associate professor, Dr. Jichul Jang.
”The students worked hard during a two months prep time, and they represented K-State very well at the NYC competition,” stated Dr. Jang.
The following three students competed in this competition: Maggie Clarke, Derek Gimson, and Derek Hoisington.
“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things in the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and if offers the greatest range of enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other sensory thing.” —Ernest Hemmingway
Fall is the time for HM’s annual event series – World of Wines. This year’s World of Wines consisted of two events. The first event was a Wine & Cheese Tasting Workshop and Sommelier Cristina Milostan walked guests through each wine and cheese pairing. Participants were given 6 wines and 6 cheese pairings. At the second World of Wines event, Cristina presented three Cava and Small Bites, in which sparkling wines were paired with a variety of hors d’oeuvres.
The goal for World of Wines was to raise awareness of the hospitality management program across campus and among the community. Proceeds from ticket sales went toward our Graduate Students and Undergraduate Study Abroad Scholarships. Attendees included K-State students and faculty as well as members of the Manhattan community. We are very pleased with the success of the events thanks to a special group of students and faculty that helped to pull them off.
The Department of Hospitality Management was honored to have two award winners during this year’s Celebration of Excellence. The award winners spent time on campus meeting with students and faculty along with attending an awards reception. Read below to learn more about Karen Hibbard and Scott Sieben.
Karen Hibbard
Karen Hibbard was awarded The College of Health and Human Sciences Partner Award to honor her sustained partnerships with the college to enhance student and faculty research, internships, or other educational opportunities. Karen Hibbard has been a key leader helping visitors and native residents find their best spot for enjoying the Kansas Flint Hills and the Kansas Capital of Fun.
A member of the Manhattan community for over 40 years, Hibbard first joined the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce in 1978. After time away, Hibbard rejoined the chamber in 1997 as the convention sales manager for the Convention and Visitors Bureau. In 2005, she was named director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau and was promoted to vice president of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2007.
Scott Sieben
Scott Sieben was recognized with the Entrepreneur Award honoring his entrepreneurial spirit and success in business. Scott has more than 15 years’ experience in the restaurant business. He was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas, and received his bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from Kansas State University in 2008.
In 2010, Sieben and his wife, Lindsay, purchased Mr. K’s Café and Bar in Manhattan. They saw a need for a local restaurant and bar on the west side of town that offered a unique menu that wasn’t bar food. They chose to eliminate the use of a fryer and focus on fresh and different food. They added Mr. K’s Mobile Kitchen in 2015 to have the ability to take their food on the road. In 2018, the Sieben’s purchased Kite’s Bar and Grill in Aggieville to maintain the bar’s K-State tradition.
My name is Mary Ernst and I am a senior in Hospitality Management with an emphasis in the Meeting and Event Management track. I come from a military family, but have been happy to call Manhattan home for the last 15 years. Event planning has always been a passion of mine, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else in life. This semester I had the opportunity to help with two events for the College of Health and Human Sciences. Continue reading “Student Spotlight: Mary Ernst”
My name is Stephen Hager and I am a non-traditional senior in the Food & Beverage track in Hospitality Management. I am married to my wonderful wife, Elli Hager, who is currently an academic advisor for open option students in the Arts & Sciences department. I recently just turned 30, so it’s never too late to go back to school to follow your dreams!
I sort of fell into the hospitality department after leaving the Air Force when I started working at a bar in a small Kansas town. I worked my way through all the positions, and fell in love with the industry. I worked my way up to management in that bar, then transferred to managing an Arby’s for three years. I knew that to take my career in the direction I wanted, I would need to go back to school.
I am graduating this December. In my first semester I was undecided, splitting my classes between the Entrepreneurship degree and the Hospitality Management Degree. I immediately formed the opinion that the Hospitality Management program would be the better choice to help me achieve my eventual goal of opening my own restaurant, bar, and arcade.
In my time at Kansas State I have served as the Vice President of Eta Sigma Delta, and I have also served as the Treasurer for the Hospitality Management Club. I would recommend to any other students to get involved. These two clubs have opened doors that would otherwise have been closed, including going to the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.
In the future, I hope to open my own concept, but in the more immediate future I’m looking to stay in Manhattan, filling a lead position in a local restaurant.
Dr. Richard Robinson, associate professor at the University of Queensland, Australia joined the Hospitality Management students and faculty to discuss his research on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. Dr. Robinson’s research projects explore tourism and hospitality workforce policy and planning, skills development, identifying ‘foodies’ consumer behaviors and designing and evaluating education programs.