Mariana Vargas is a student in the MS in Global Hospitality Management program at the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality. Mariana tells us more about her on-campus position with the SPS Office of Events.
Where are you working and what is your job title?
I am currently working on-campus at SPS Office of Events, the office in charge of organizing NYU events like the Annual Hospitality Conference and the Annual REIT Symposium. My job title is Conference and Event Assistant.
What made you initially interested in applying for this position?
Besides Hotel Sales and Revenue Management, I have always been interested in Event Management. When I read the job posting and responsibilities of the position, I knew the position suited well with my career interests. I knew that being involved in the organization of NYU’s most important conference would help me acquire event management skills and understand the logistics implied in the organization of such an important event.
What projects have you been working on so far?
I have been involved in the recruitment of this year’s Sponsors, recollection of speaker information and confirmations, daily reporting, managing the conference’s main email and Twitter accounts, among others.
Have there been any challenges in your job so far? If so, how have you learned to overcome them?
One challenge has been getting used to properly managing my time between work and school. Since this is my first on-campus role since I started the program, I wasn’t used to having both responsibilities at the same time. This was something that cost me some extra effort in the first two weeks but that I am able to manage now.
What do you hope to take away from your position at NYU?
I hope to learn as much as possible from every project and every person from the office. I want to finish my internship knowing that I always went the extra mile and I was a valuable asset to the team. Also, I hope to acquire enough experience to feel confident in the workplace, especially since I will be looking for full time opportunities after graduating.
What are your future plans?
I will be graduating in May this year. I am looking for full time opportunities in New York, mainly within the Hospitality and Tourism industry but I am always open to exploring new fields and facing new challenges.