Kareem is a hospitality major who plans to own a restaurant. He has been awarded the Bennett A. Brown Scholarship that will cover the majority of his tuition and school expenses.
What made you decide to major in hospitality?
When I was growing up, I loved traveling and visiting hotels. When I first started taking classes in my major, I didn’t have any experience in hospitality. I would recommend that anyone interested in hospitality get involved in something related to it before they make their decision. Luckily, it was something I enjoyed and it is something I will continue to do after graduation.
Why do you recommend people research hospitality before they get involved in the field?
I think it takes a special type of person to do hospitality and it’s not as super glamorous as people think and if someone has that conception, research would be a good way for them to get their feet wet before they invest years into the career. If it ends up being a good fit, I think that it would be something they should pursue because they would love it. You have to be good with people, willing to work long hours and receive gratification from doing a good job.
What type of hospitality and tourism are you interested in pursuing?
When I was younger, I always wanted to open a restaurant. As I became older, I received some experience working inside of a restaurant and I think I could create what I want to do into a coffee shop type of environment. I want to get into business for myself more so than hotel management.
What inspired you to create a lounge type of restaurant versus a more upscale environment?
I have seen that when you have restaurants that are more expensive, it all comes down to food cost and making sure that you make profit off of everything. Those higher end places make a good profit but you have to find the right location that fits the right market for that type of business. So you can’t start a five star restaurant in a community that can’t afford to support that and with the type of restaurant I want to own, I don’t want to do that. I think it would be better for customers to have restaurants that are affordable.
Are there other aspects of hospitality management you are interested in pursuing?
Well, in hospitality, there are other aspects of food and beverage that do not include restaurants. You can do catering and event planning. That is one of the reasons I want to own a lounge because I feel like with a lounge, I would have some flexibility to also host wedding events in the same venue.
What is the name of the scholarship you received?
I won the Bennett A. Brown Scholarship. This is offered by the Margret A. Stanton office for students with various disabilities. To apply, I needed two or more recommendations, write an essay explaining what it’s like to be in school and what challenges I have had in school. I submitted my essay which talked about the issues I had in school, how I persisted in meeting my goals, and financial needs associated with being an out-of-state student.
What do you think set your essay apart from other applicants?
I think the amount of student involvement that I listed in my essay, the quality of my references, and my background which highlighted how I entered into the university and demonstrated that I was determined to meet my goals. I came from a single parent household, I struggled a lot in school, and how I overcame those obstacles.
What would you recommend to other students that are starting the application process?
I would maintain relationships with people who can give you good recommendation letters. Of course time management and making sure someone reviews your application. Find niche scholarships that cater to you. Go above and beyond in your essay and tell the judges what you have done specifically that makes you different from others students.
Do you feel like winning this scholarship gave you some confidence in your ability to finish school and meet your career goals?
Yes, I think it did. I think having some financial backing by someone who isn’t a family members demonstrates that someone see you have potential. I recommend other students try it too.