Student creativity and success were on full display as the Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality, and Tourism (MEHT) Department hosted their third annual MEHT Gala on March 19. The first Gala was held when students in Erick Byrd’s Business Tourism class were challenged to develop an event that would celebrate the department and its students.
Byrd’s students came up with a concept for the event, the event name, and ran the event for the department. The first Gala was held at The Public, a private event space in downtown Greensboro. The second gala was organized and hosted by students in the Spartans in Hospitality Club, who were assigned to decorate the venue and coordinate music for the event.
This year, Carver Thompson, Spartans in Hospitality and Tourism Club outreach committee chair and president elect, led the organization’s efforts to decorate the Virginia Dare room of the Alumni House. The students showcased their ingenuity and creativity by using re purposed and borrowed materials for decorations. Tablecloths and table runners were borrowed, and students created the centerpieces made up of books spray-painted blue and gold, candle votives, and vases. On the day of the event, flowers were freshly cut to fill the centerpieces. “It goes to show that if you are creative and resourceful enough you can do about anything with what you are given,” said Thompson.
“Students had the opportunity to understand and work through problems with multiple aspects for the event, including the financial side,” said Byrd. “They had to adjust what they wanted to meet their budget. This forced them to do creative problem solving. Because of projects like this, students are ready to tackle these difficult decisions not only with events, but in all types of hospitality and tourism settings.”
Every year, a Bryan School alumnus is selected from one of the fours disciples of marketing, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and tourism to serve as a keynote speaker. This year featured Alex Moore (MBA ’04), senior partner with Stratagon. In his remarks, he discussed how he and fellow Bryan School classmate Ryan Burkett built their firm, which specializes in both integrated marketing and service and sales enablement, and how the Bryan School impacted their choices throughout the process. During the question and answer session, a member of the CEO Club asked Alex what his biggest failure was while trying to launch the business. Moore replied, “I can’t remember any one incident being greater than the rest. I always tell people that when they fail, to fail fast.”
Members of the department’s four student organizations were recognized for their leadership and accomplishments from the past year. Over 40 students were awarded a Professional Sales Certificate from the North Carolina Sales Institute (NCSI) for completing three of the five sales classes the Bryan School currently offers. Two students, Holly Shields and Hunter Wynns, earned minors in professional selling.
NCSI Professional Sales Certificate Recipients:
Alexander Hale
Aliyana Goode
Alyssa Brown
Austin McCraw
Bill Smith
Bradley Hedgecock
Bradley Lovings
Chandler Rouse
Christina Kearns
Chrostoper Andreucci
Cristal Gonzalez
Curtis Hert
Dajour Minkins
Emma Javey-Eyraud
Gabriel Caldas
Graison Huntley
Grant Cook
Himanshu Lakhani
Hussnain Ilyas
Jalyn Shoffner
Joel Fenimore
Jonna Hicklin
Joshua Massiah
Kailtin Kiehl
Kayla Martel
Keaton Webb
Lark Tibbs
Lucas Austin
Maddison Strausbaugh
Mikaela Portugal
Nattakan Jai-On
Olivia Harrell
Phillip Stahlmann
Sam Fredj
Sarah Bishop
Simone Dell’Oca
Spencer Strange
Stephen Peters
Thomas Grant
Tyler Boone
Tyler Keigley
Victor Pomi
Xinyi Wang
Xiyi Hong
Collegiate Entrepreneur’s Organization (CEO) Club Awards:
CEO Club Outstanding Leadership Award Netzer Wasserberg
CEO Club Exemplary Marketing Award Tumaini Johnson
CEO Club Outstanding Communications Award Clay Gotte
The student chapter of the American Marketing Association recognized its chapter leaders:
President Chandler Rouse
VP of Communications Brianna Boddie
VP of Finance and Treasury Pelagio-Cervantes
Spartans in Hospitality and Tourism Club recognized their student leaders:
President Tanner Helms
Vice President Clara Bechtle
Treasurer Lidia Gomez
Outreach Committee Chair Carver Thompson
Outreach Committee Vice Chair Shaina Perry
Social Committee Co-Chairs Alyssa Ceritello and Kaitlyn Srey
