Montana State University hospitality students attend Missoula conference

BOZEMAN - Seventeen students from Montana State University were able to gain real-world insight and build industry connections at the Montana Lodging and Hospitality Association Conference and Trade Show in Missoula in October.

This fall, MSU launched a new hospitality management degree, with a business-specific option housed in the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship and a sustainable hospitality option housed in the College of Education, Health and Human Development.

The colleges funded the students' travel to the conference, with participants selected based on academic merit. The experience featured breakout sessions and lectures about developments in the hospitality industry, with students reporting the attendees were friendly and welcoming, and there was a great sense of community.

"It is exciting to have MSU students from both options within the hospitality management degree program connect with hospitality and lodging industry leaders," said Tricia Seifert, dean of the EHHD college. "Making these professional connections jump-starts employment opportunities for our students."

Visiting business professor Christine LeClaire traveled with the six business hospitality students: Lily Bryman, Trevor Edmondson, Ellie Lawson, Kate Mulligan, Jocelyn Nivus and Owen Pring.

EHHD professors Wenhao Zhang and Damla Sönmez attended with 11 sustainable hospitality students as well: Taylor Brookwalter, Matthew Danielson, Reid Johnson, Amelia Kirt, Raegen Lange, Gavin Mayo, Walter Pearson, Katherine Sexton, Aiden Stroman, Nicholas Szotak and Bella Tonazzi.

"Over the course of the conference, students built meaningful relationships with hospitality professionals from across Montana, attended engaging breakout sessions, and gained invaluable insights into the real-world challenges and opportunities of the industry," Zhang said.

"I'm so proud of these students for working so hard and applying themselves right from the start of the semester," LeClaire added. "It's very obvious to me that each of the students who won sponsorship will succeed in their careers and strengthen our hospitality and tourism industry here in Montana."

In LeClaire's Introduction to Hospitality class, several students presented to their peers about their experience at the conference.

Mulligan said her favorite part was a session about an artificial intelligence tool that functions as a concierge service for hotel guests called ConciergeGPT. The session was delivered by Tim Lockie, who founded Now IT Matters and The Human Stack to help nonprofits succeed with their use of technology.

Nivus told the class about another presentation on leadership qualities in animals that helped attendees consider the leadership traits they have within themselves.

Edmondson and Bryman highlighted a presentation about the impact of new liquor laws on business, which was delivered by Helena attorney Joel Silverman, saying it was interesting to see how policy impacts the hospitality industry.

Bryman, who is from Bigfork, wants to open her own jiu jitsu gym one day, and is doing all she can to learn about every facet of entrepreneurship while in school.

Brian Gillespie, dean of the business college, said the new business hospitality program director, David Pearlman, will help students meet their entrepreneurship goals. Pearlman, who helped start the hospitality program at Arkansas State University, will start at MSU in January.

"We are excited to welcome David Pearlman to the MSU community and for him to share his valuable professional experience with our many interested students," Gillespie said. "The program is already off to a great start, and it will only get better from here."

Gallatin College MSU also offers a certificate in hospitality management. For more information on that program, visit gallatin.montana.edu/academics/hospitality/index.html.