Amanda Berrigan works as director of sales and marketing at Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Queensbury.

Hospitality degree offers room for growth

Amanda Berrigan is enjoying a second career.

Berrigan, who lives in South Glens Falls, spent 10 years in the restaurant business before deciding to pursue a career that better suited her family life. The Hospitality Management program at SUNY Adirondack made it possible for her to take time obtaining a degree and get hands-on experience through internships.

“I think internships are so important. It is so hard to say you are going to get a degree in something without experiencing it first-hand,” Berrigan said. “The professors I had were mostly local people who knew the market and the opportunities at hand for the students and were willing to go the extra mile to place us after graduating. The classes in the program were molded to give us a well-rounded insight into what the hospitality field would be like.”

A 2009 SUNY Adirondack graduate, Berrigan now works as director of sales and marketing at Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Queensbury.

“I’m responsible for overseeing the revenue trends for the property and making sure we are hitting our overall revenue goals for the year. The director fields the phone calls and inquiries, sets the rates and follows through with the contracting process. As base business comes in, it is important that these leads are followed up on, tracking new potential for each account and always making sure we are following up after a guest stay to see if we can do anything better,” she said.

Berrigan encourages local students looking for career placement directly after graduation to consider a degree in Hospitality Management.

“Hotels are everywhere and in dire need of people who want to be in the hospitality industry,” she said. “ There are beautiful new brands like Marriott and Hilton developing locally and willing to take fresh graduates under their wings.”

Fast Facts

• Hospitality, especially within the field of tourism, is a $1.5 billion industry in the Adirondack region.
• Hospitality leads to employment of more than 6,500 individuals, and indirectly provides almost 3,000 jobs in the region.

 

MEET OUR FACULTY

SUNY Adirondack Professor of Business Kelli Hatin, right, spends a relaxing day at Disney Springs with SUNY Adirondack student Kaitlyn Sarti during her Fall 2018 Disney College Program internship.

“Our students have so much potential, and, as a community college, we have a fantastic mix of traditional and nontraditional students. Each of them has a story, and they share it, providing a learning atmosphere for all.” — Kelli Hatin, professor of business

 

Did you know
The Disney College Program is open to all SUNY Adirondack students in any major. The semester-long paid internship at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida or the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California allows students to work in a front-line role at theme parks and resorts, participate in college-level coursework and live in company-sponsored housing with other students.