On January 13 through 18, while the rest of us were freezing in Milwaukee, the Future Hospitality Managers Association (FHMA) was in Las Vegas learning the advancements in the hotel industry.  

Students pursuing careers in the hotel or food and beverage industry got to travel with hopes to further their knowledge by visiting the back of the house of active Vegas strip hotels.

FHMA members followed an itinerary of activities mapping out hotel tours, college affiliations, and even taking in a Cirque du Soliel performance.  

Each day the students were given behind the scenes tours of what it takes to manage their careers with the rapid changes in customer service and technology. 

Some of the hotels on the strip they visited were: Excalibur, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Venetian/Palazzo, Luxor.  Each hotel showed them the daily responsibilities of their operations from the back of the house point of view.

Beverly Johnson, advisor of Future Hospitality Managers Association, knows how important it is to have that familiarization aspect within the industry. 

“Getting the students the most out of MATC, in the organization we have a combination of hotel, meeting and event, and baking students, so I try to make sure they get the most out of that education experience,” said Johnson who followed her comments with, “they get to attend trade shows, go to conferences or even attend trips like this to Las Vegas.” 

Johnson pointed out the requirements for eligibility to attend trips: students must be a member of FHMA, then volunteer eight hours each semester (i.e. graduation event or student orientation), and students get knowledge of the cost upfront (but once they complete the educational activities, they do get a partial refund back).

FHMA meets every first and second Thursday of the month in Room M606 at 1 p.m. 

Their organization also finds great rates for students and faculty to enjoy events at the venues around Milwaukee. 

Next time you stay at a hotel or go to a theme park, remember it takes students from the hospitality industry to make your trip a pleasant one.