SUMMER 2018
KNOEBEL NEWS The Knoebel School of Hospitality Management
Fall is around the corner and we are nearing the start of another school year. By the time you read this, school will be back in session and our Fritz Knoebel students will be wrapping up their summer field work experience and management internship requirements. This past academic year has been a good one for Fritz Knoebel, with our alumni and friends supporting our efforts in numerous ways. Some of this year’s accomplishments include:
IN THIS ISSUE
From the Director.................................2 Chefs who Give Back...........................4 Who are Knoebel Students?...............10 Alumni Updates.................................19
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KNOEBEL NEWS | SUMMER 2018
• A record amount in scholarships awarded—over $275,000—layered on top of university- and college-level awards. For students with demonstrated need, we were able to close their need gaps so that the average student loan was cut from almost $7,500 to about $3,750! Just 10 years ago, we awarded less than $95,000 in scholarships. Through your support, we are making a DU/Daniels/Fritz Knoebel education more affordable to a broader spectrum of students. • We had a student team place second in the Hotel Asset Managers Association’s student competition. In five years of participating, Fritz Knoebel students have placed first once and second four times. • Students traveled on full grants to attend HX: The Hotel Experience in New York City; Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles, California; and the National Restaurant Show in Chicago, Illinois. Students in our Advanced Beverage Management class traveled to Napa and Sonoma, California—half the class to each valley. They will complete the course by sitting for the second-level certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. • For the second consecutive summer, we will have students interning at The French Laundry—what tremendous preparation for a career in food and beverage!
FROM THE DIRECTOR • We completed six years of our refugee training program, now called Ready for American Hospitality. We continue to build support among industry partners for this program, which has a profound impact on Fritz Knoebel students as well as the refugee protégés. Thanks to the generosity of Susie Perlman (BA, Spanish, 1991), we are preparing to open a social enterprise café—our third Beans location—in the Robert & Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts. Proceeds from this café will support RAH. For the second consecutive year, we sold out our annual Public Good Gala, a Guest Chef Series event produced by our Contemporary Cuisine class with support from our Human Capital students and their RAH protégés. The gala celebrates and supports RAH and our partnership with the Ethiopian Community Development Council’s African Community Center. The Daniels College of Business is known for challenge-driven, hands-on learning and it simply is not possible to teach hospitality management without such learning opportunities. One of the long-time areas of strength for Fritz Knoebel is food & beverage, and this year we took several giant leaps forward in our ability to challenge our students and elevate what we already do well. Thanks to the Merinoff family and Breakthru Beverage—donors of $500,000 to name our Advanced Beverage Management Center—we now have the resources to convert our food & beverage classroom into a sensory laboratory for food, wine, spirits and beer tasting. I expect this work will be completed in 2019. In this same classroom, thanks to the great generosity of the Duncan family, we completed construction on our new Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars Academic Wine Cellar. This gift will enable students in our beverage management courses to taste wines we previously could not afford to pour for them, and will help prepare them to earn wine-related certifications before graduating. To
complete this classroom space, Marquis Sauvage and Greg Kassanoff—the Daniels alums behind Pioneer Wine Company—provided a gift to fully outfit the demonstration kitchen. Finally, The Cossack Foundation recently made a $100,000 gift to name and endow our Guest Chef Series. Despite our past success with the series, it has been incredibly challenging to continue to attract top culinary talent from outside Denver to participate in the series. This gift will help significantly as we continue the GCS. Again, we are so thankful for all the support we receive. Donors to the College make it possible for us to live our vision: Be bold. Do good. Change lives. This issue, as you will soon see, is focused on our students and you will have the opportunity to meet a couple from each class. Many of you have heard me say—and I continue to do so—that Fritz Knoebel students are my favorite that I have taught anywhere. My colleagues and I are so fortunate to work with them on a daily basis. You will also learn more about the GCS and will hear from several of the amazingly talented chefs who have participated in the series during the last several years. I hope your summer was fun, enriching and rewarding. In hospitality,
David L. Corsun, PhD Director & Associate Professor
SUMMER 2018 | KNOEBEL NEWS
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chefswho who chefs
giv�back back giv�
Fritz Knoebel’s Contemporary Cuisine course services two of the School’s concentrations: food & beverage and conference services management. Some students in the revenue management and lodging real estate concentrations take the course as an elective. The class is an exemplar of challenge-driven learning; under the direction of co-instructors David Corsun and Executive Chef Tim Downs, the students open three pop-up restaurants during the academic quarter. Each winter and spring, one of the restaurants is a ticketed food and wine pairing dinner driven by a guest chef. Fritz Knoebel’s Guest Chef Series has brought several James Beard Award winners, Sunset Magazine’s Chef of the West and others who had senior roles in Michelin-star restaurants. In Winter Quarter, the GCS dinner is the Public Good Gala, which celebrates and raises money to support the refugee training program—a collaboration between Fritz Knoebel and the Ethiopian Community Development Council’s African Community Center, a refugee resettlement agency. In spring, our guest chef works with the students to produce the dinner that is part of our DU Vin Festival. The GCS experience is tremendously impactful for both Fritz Knoebel students and these super talented chefs. Fritz Knoebel is thankful to have the partnership of these extremely busy people who, despite the craziness of their schedules, give their time to help develop students pursuing careers in the industry. These chefs come from all areas of the country to mentor and inspire our students. Below you can meet several of our GCS participants and learn about their experience working with Fritz Knoebel students. In our conversations with GCS participants, we asked about their background, their experience with Fritz Knoebel students in the GCS and what they found valuable about participating.
SUMMER 2018 | KNOEBEL NEWS
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Davi� Patterso�
Executive Chef, The Broadmoor | Colorado Springs, CO Guest chef at the 4th Annual Public Good Gala: February, 2017 Chef Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky in a field unrelated to hospitality, but while in school, he worked in a pizza joint to help pay for college. He fell in love with making pizzas and decided to pursue a career in the culinary industry. Soon after, he graduated from the New England Culinary Institute. “The majority of my education is in French-based cuisine, working closely with world-renowned Chef Alain Ducasse, but early in my career, I had the opportunity to work as executive chef at Hotel Hana, Maui, a boutique luxury resort at the end of the Road to Hana. All fish served was caught that day by community fishing families, and 90 percent of the produce was grown on farms on the island. I knew most of the guests by name, and I was able to customize each experience for them. It was the most romanticized version of being a
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KNOEBEL NEWS | SUMMER 2018
chef I have ever experienced.” “Working with the [Fritz Knoebel students] was a lot of fun. I came from The Broadmoor and brought with me our Executive Baking and Pastry Chef, Adam Thomas. Over the course of two days, Adam was able to spend time with the students making all of the breads from scratch. We wanted to give the students an incredibly hands-on experience, so we created everything there with them. It is incredible to see young students who are motivated and enthusiastic about the process and the industry, especially when culinary is not their focus.” When asked what it was like to work with students who are food & beverage-focused but are not likely to be chefs, chef Patterson said, “It was truly a pleasure. We spent some time with the students working on some of the basics and fundamentals of cooking—knife skills, seasoning,
etc.—but I enjoy the educational aspects of being a chef. As a student, if you have a good attitude, are willing to work hard, are motivated and on time, then you are 90 percent of the way there. The technical aspects of culinary are the easy things to teach.” The experience is valuable for students because “more and more often these days, you see the overlap in the education between the front of the house and the back of the house. Historically, employees learned how to be in either the front or the back. I now realize how vital it is to understand everyone’s perspective in the restaurant. The manager needs to understand the trials and tribulations of the chef; the chef needs to understand that when a plate is sent back or there is a special request, it is not the server asking, it’s the guest. This type of education is making the industry much stronger, and I witnessed that with these students.” ■
Crai� Stoll Chef Proprietor, Delfina Restaurant Group | San Francisco, CA Guest chef at the 1st Annual Public Good Gala: February, 2014 Chef Stoll started working in restaurants when he was in high school. He completed his AOS degree at the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park right after high school and then graduated from FIU in hospitality management. After working as a prep cook and cook, working his way up to chef in a few different restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, he opened Delfina with his wife Annie in 1998. They opened their first pizzeria in 2002 and subsequently opened three other pizzerias and the restaurant, Locanda, in the Bay Area. Plans are in place to open a fifth pizzeria sometime this year. Chef Stoll explained that participating in the GCS “was a great experience. The staff and faculty were very helpful, and the students were eager to participate, learn and to play a part in putting on the dinner. It is always great to work with students. As long as people are motivated to do a good job, everyone involved will get value out of it, even if they are not chefs or culinary focused.” For chef Stoll the most value in this experience was the teaching. “It is always great to have the opportunity to teach what we do. It causes us to slow down and think about how to articulate the steps that are required, and you end up refining your own skill along the way. I always tell my cooks that when they train a new employee to remember that
success is directly correlated with the ability to teach, so it is an important skill to learn. If you are able to bring skills back to the basics, articulate it and convey it in a way that sticks and that people can understand, you will be successful.” Chef Stoll hopes Fritz Knoebel students will “embrace and drive change. Right now, the culinary industry is changing more than ever and changing quickly. We all have to come up with ways to stay relevant and to keep business profitable.” ■
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Chri� Shepher�
Owner & Chef, Underbelly | Houston, TX Guest chef at the DU Vin Festival Pairing Dinner: May, 2017 “I did not do very well in high school or college because I was not passionate about the topics I was learning in the classroom, so I decided to go to culinary school where I found a passion for cooking. The industry requires long, hard hours, and I found a lot of value in working while I was in school to prepare myself and to avoid culture shock after graduation. Along the way, I listened to my heart, not my bank account, when deciding what jobs to take, and I stuck to what I knew I wanted to do. Sometimes I had to live week to week, but I paid my dues, and I worked my way up the ladder.” “I opened Underbelly in March 2012 after graduating from the Art Institute and having a background as a sous-chef and a sommelier. I recently opened my newest venture, One Fifth, in
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KNOEBEL NEWS | SUMMER 2018
January 2017 in Houston.” “My GCS experience at Fritz Knoebel was amazing. I did not quite know what I was getting myself into. I got there and found students who did not know how to cook, but I had fun with it. It meant a lot to me to be with students who were ambitious and wanted to learn.” “Traditionally, when people are running programs and not kitchens, they forget the time they had in the kitchen. It is so important to experience time in the kitchen and have empathy for the staff when things get tough in the restaurant. It takes two parts to be successful—the front and the back of the house—and they need to work well together.” “The majority of the students were passionate about the experience. They spent the time well, learning and being open to
the new experience. It was incredible to see the faces of the students when they saw and tasted new things. That is why I do what I do every day, both for students and customers.” In reflecting on how his GCS experience compared with other teaching experiences he’s had, chef Shepherd indicated that “every experience is different. You are with new, young, bright minds each time, and I really strive to see what that group wants and try to fulfill those desires for them. I hope the students remember to understand where everyone is coming from and focus on that. Have empathy for everyone—customers, vendors, students, etc. Also, do not always focus on your personal opinions. Learn from others and take each experience in from different perspectives.” ■
Matt Zubro� Executive Chef, The Little Nell | Aspen, CO Guest chef at the 3rd Annual Public Good Gala: February, 2016
Chef Zubrod began his career with The Ritz-Carlton before becoming an executive sous-chef at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California. From the Hotel del Coronado, he opened The Ritz-Carlton, Aspen Highlands, as executive chef in 2001, and then decided to leave the corporate scene by opening Dish Aspen as an executive chef and managing partner. After time in Hawaii and California, chef Zubrod returned to Aspen, Colorado, with his family in 2013 where he served as executive chef at BB’s Kitchen before joining The Little Nell in April of 2015 as executive chef, overseeing all culinary operations for the hotel. When asked about his GCS experience at Fritz Knoebel, chef Zubrod said, “I enjoy doing events like this. It allows me to think about recruiting future chefs, as well as food & beverage managers. I had great students to work with. They were ambitious and resourceful, and able to bang out plates. While we brought a few ready-to-use ingredients, the students were excited to see new things in the kitchen. It was a good handful of students, many of whom may not want to be chefs in the future, but they were still passionate about food.” “What was valuable for me in this experience was seeing and understanding
where the students are with what they want to do and mentoring them. I enjoy giving them recommendations for their career path. All of the students were so ambitious and so willing and anxious to learn. I believe in giving back since I have been able to achieve my dreams. Now, I want to help other people move up the ladder, and who knows, maybe I will work for them in the future.” “I hope the students recognize that you have to pay your dues and make your way in the business. Do not expect to be a sous-chef in your first two years—learn the ropes and standards. There is a lot to learn, and you will be better off in the long run if you take the time to appreciate what you can learn from others along the way.” ■
SUMMER 2018 | KNOEBEL NEWS
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wh� ar�
fritz knoebel students? According to Director David Corsun, Fritz Knoebel students are special. “Of the five places at which I’ve taught, Fritz students are by far my favorites. They are hybrids—super bright, but also ready to roll up their sleeves and do the work of the industry. Leading the student travel opportunities gives me the great opportunity to get to know them well, and they’re also really nice people.” Students at Fritz Knoebel come from a variety of backgrounds, have a wide range of experiences while at DU and set ambitious goals for the future. Read on to learn more as hospitality students share their personal stories.
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JAMES ARTIS
Aurora, Colorado | Class of 2020
CASEY ARAKAKI
Maui, Hawaii | Class of 2021 Hospitality is for me because ‌ “Surrounded by tourism my whole life, I have always had a passion for meeting and talking to new people. I aspire to become general manager of a Four Seasons Resort property or another luxury brand hotel.â€? I’ve been inspired by ‌ “Many of the people I interact with on a daily basis inspire me. I love to hear strangers’ stories to learn about their diverse backgrounds and the unique insights they have to share. One of my most influential mentors is Anatol Eisele, my boss at Paia Fish Market, a local island restaurant. He constantly pushed me to do my best and taught me so much about the hospitality industry.â€? Memorable moments at Fritz Knoebel “During the Introduction to Hospitality course, I was able to visit Vail Village to tour the hotel properties, including the Westin, Sonnenalp Hotel, Four Seasons Resort and The Sebastian.â€?  Â? â–
Hospitality is for me because ‌ “Throughout my life, I’ve had a passion for helping others, and in my opinion, hospitality is the best industry in business to do that. You’re able to interact with a variety of people and give them the experience of a lifetime.â€? “My grandfather was the driving force behind my decision to attend DU. He graduated from the University in 1955, and he would tell stories about how incredible the campus and professors were. Once I realized the caliber of DU’s hospitality program, I knew that if I could make it work, this is where I wanted to go.â€? I’m inspired by ‌ “I have been blessed to have multiple people in my life that inspire me and act as mentors. However, no one has been more supportive or more of a role model than my mother. She has made innumerable sacrifices so that my siblings and I could have the best opportunities. She challenges me to be better than I am and encourages me to fight for what I believe in.â€?
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 „…  Â? â–
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CLAIRE CAVIGLIA
Visalia, California | Class of 2019 Hospitality is for me because ‌ “I realized that I love to serve people and in hospitality you get to do that every day. Whether it’s providing an amenity for someone’s birthday at the front desk or serving wedding cake on someone’s special day, you get to have an impact on their lives for a moment, whether it’s an ordinary day for them or not.â€? “I’ve known since my freshman year that I wanted to work within the ever-expanding Chinese hospitality market and this was confirmed after studying abroad in China last year. Given this ultimate goal, my current goals are to become fluent in Mandarin, as well as finding a job opportunity that would allow me to kick-start my career in China or at least put me on the right track.â€? Influential people ... “I am constantly inspired by my younger sister Carly who is currently studying musical theatre at Syracuse University. Her dedication to do what she loves, as well as her humility and kindness in such a tough industry motivates me to do the same.â€? “When I was a freshman, I went to the LEAD mentorship program’s ‘speed-dating’ event. At the event, I was eventually paired up with the Hotel Manager of Hilton Denver City Center, Matthew Anderson. We immediately hit it off, and he has been my mentor ever since. He has reviewed my resume, served as an interviewee for school projects and put me into contact with other industry professionals. He embodies what a good leader and manager is.â€? Â?   Â?    Â? „… ( † ‡ )   Â?     „ ˆ Â? â–
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BROOKE COMSTOCK Boise, Idaho| Class of 2019
My journey to hospitality ‌ “I originally came to DU to pursue a degree in English with the intent to go to law school. I soon realized this was not the field for me and began to explore the classes offered at the Daniels College of Business. Coincidentally, the summer after my freshman year at DU, I worked as an outside guest services representative at a resort in Sun Valley, Idaho. This experience made me realize my passion for creating guest experiences through the avenue of service. Since then, I have worked for a catering company, and I’ve interned for The French Laundry. These positions continued to shape my experiences within the industry and grow my love for hospitality.â€? “I chose DU for a variety of reasons—the size of the school; the variety of programs and resources available; and of course, the location of the school in beautiful Colorado!â€? Post-graduation goals ... “Upon graduation, I hope to be accepted into a manager-in-training program for a luxury hotel company or brand. After that, my main goal is to become the general manager of a luxury or upper-upscale hotel property. I also enjoy working with restaurants and event planning, so I would ideally hold a job in which I could oversee and be involved with many operations within the property.â€? Influential people ... “Overall, I am inspired by Fritz Knoebel students in classes before me, as I often like to discuss their experiences within the industry. The hard work and dedication they have for their academic career correlates directly to the opportunities they are
offered in the field, and I am inspired every day by their successes. In addition, I am inspired by my amazing mother. Although she does not work in the hospitality industry, she has taken several career paths throughout her life—from dentistry, to interior design, to office management—all while volunteering for her children’s organizations and being a wonderful mother. Her ability to apply previously learned skills to various jobs inspires me to become a well-rounded individual, and her work-life balance impresses me every single day.â€? Influential experiences at Fritz Knoebel ... “One experience at DU within the realm of hospitality that has stuck with me is working with refugee students in my Human Capital class. We worked with students as part of the Ready for American Hospitality program to help teach valuable industry skills for entry-level positions. Through the training exercises and simulations of this class, I not only gained experience as a job trainer, but I also learned some of the needs and difficulties that refugees experience in the job-search process. This experience resonated with me because I saw firsthand the kinds of stresses and challenges these individuals can face and the ever-present flaws within the industry’s hiring processes. I truly believe this experience will help to better prepare me to manage a diverse workforce composed of individuals from vastly different backgrounds.â€? ƒ  „… ‰   Â? ‚ „ Â? â–
LARISSA GOODEN
Colorado Springs, Colorado | Class of 2018 Hospitality is for me because ‌ “I traveled a lot when I was growing up, and the hotels I stayed in always fascinated me. I would compare one hotel to another. As I grew older, I fell in love with the entire industry. I have a lot of special memories that took place on planes, in hotels, and at restaurants, so I decided I wanted to work in an industry that continuously brings me joy.â€? “After graduation I hope to be a financial analyst in either hotel brokerage or hotel development.â€? People who inspire me ... “That's a long list, but my mom and dad would definitely be at the top. Anyone who is resilient, hardworking, humble, kind—all qualities I want to possess—inspire me. I signed up for the school's LEAD mentorship program and was lucky enough to be paired with Grant Dupart, a hospitality developer at McWhinney whom I absolutely consider to be an inspiration.â€? Influential experiences at Fritz Knoebel ... “The American Lodging Investment Summit was unforgettable. It was like Disneyland for me. There were so many CEOs, brokers, hotel owners, and other successful hotel real estate professionals in attendance, so it was a fun experience with great learning and networking potential.â€? Š  Â?    ‚ „  Â? Â? â–
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ROMAN KANDIROVSKIY Moscow, Russia | Class of 2018
Hospitality is for me because ‌ “I was introduced to hospitality when I started working in the back of the house at Knoebel Events during the beginning of my sophomore year after taking the Introduction to Hospitality course. I really enjoyed working in a fast-paced team environment, which made every shift exciting. As a result, I decided to switch my major from accounting to hospitality management.â€? “I picked the University of Denver for two reasons. First, I knew from the start that I would be pursuing a business degree, but I was not sure which degree in particular. The common core at the Daniels College of Business offers an introduction to a variety of business disciplines, which I found to be very beneficial. The second reason was location. My high school advisor recommended the University of Denver because it combined my interests in living in a metropolitan area with easy access to the outdoors.â€? “I plan to graduate in June with degrees in finance and hospitality management with a concentration in revenue management and analytics. My immediate goals are to pursue a career in analytics and revenue management within the hospitality industry. In the next three years, I plan to pursue an MBA in business intelligence and analytics.â€? My mentors ... “One of my inspirations is Hans Rosling who brought global trends and economics to life through visualization. My mentors include Jeffrey Hinkle, director of revenue management at Stonebridge, who I met through the LEAD mentorship program. Also, James Drew Hunter, the chapter advisor to Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at DU, and Tim Downs, executive chef at Knoebel Events.â€? â–
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ARDEN TOWNSEND
Redondo Beach, California; Class of 2020 What drew you to hospitality? “The culture of kindness within hospitality drew me to the industry. I have always loved the idea of providing someone with an unforgettable experience that they will remember fondly. Experiences such as those bring people happiness and I am excited to be the one to make it the best that it can be.â€? Why Fritz Knoebel? “I chose the University of Denver for a couple of reasons. First, it has one of the top hospitality schools in the country and since I knew the major I wanted to pursue, this was a major factor in my decision. Second, the location of DU’s campus—in Colorado and close to downtown Denver—was a draw to the University. I knew I would never be bored, and I would receive an incredible education.â€? “After graduation I would ultimately like to become a general manager of a luxury hotel. I would like to participate in a manager-in-training program after graduating so that I can begin the process of achieving this goal.â€? My mentors include ‌ “I consider many of the hospitality students in the classes above me to be mentors—Sarah Karpeles (2017) and Paige McNeil (2018) are two people that have never wavered in supporting me. It is inspiring to watch them grow and flourish in the industry while simultaneously taking the time to guide me through my own experience.â€? ‚ † „ ˆ  Â? â–
DUKE MAHR
Manhattan Beach, California | Class of 2021 What drew you to hospitality? “I get asked this question all the time, and I think I am still searching for the answer. Since the age of thirteen, I’ve known that I have passion for this industry, for creating memorable experiences and for serving others. I think it is the fact that I feel so comfortable serving others [that initially drew me to hospitality]. I would rather be loading industrial washing machines or handling difficult guest situations than sitting in a cubicle after graduation. Overall, the ability for me to express my personality and create personalized experiences for everyone who crosses my path is what drew me and keeps drawing me to hospitality.� “I chose DU because I knew I wanted to major in hospitality before applying, so my list of schools was short. In the end, I was deciding between DU and Cornell University. A call from David Corsun confirmed what I had always known—that DU and Denver was best for me. As a former Cornell professor and alum of the hospitality program, Dr. Corsun shared valuable insights into the two programs. The personalized interaction between staff, faculty and students is what motivated me the most to choose the University of Denver. Their passion for the industry matches mine.�
An important mentor ... “I have been fortunate to work under some incredibly successful leaders so far. Matt ‘Toominator’ Toomey, a private chef and restaurant owner, has been a mentor of mine since I was thirteen. Matt launched his career by serving five-star food from a Mobil gas station in California. He has taught me the importance of hard work and leadership. Even though I want to pursue a career in hotel operations, Matt has continued to inspire me by embodying the qualities of an incredible chef leader in hospitality.â€? Memorable moments at Fritz Knoebel ... “My most memorable moments so far have been being a part of the kitchen staff for Knoebel Events, bonding with coworkers while washing hundreds of dishes or perfecting my cooking skills. I am always smiling at work, and I am able to rely on other students in an intense and fast-paced environment.â€? ƒ †  Â
… „
ƒ †  €   ‡ Â? â–
“After graduation I hope to work for Kimpton Hotels as an openings and transition coordinator.�
Studenďż˝-Athleteďż˝ aďż˝ Fritďż˝ Knoebeďż˝
It takes a lot of drive to compete in Division I athletics, perform successfully in the classroom and meet Fritz Knoebel’s requirements, such as studying abroad and amassing 1,000 hours of management internship work experience. Below you’ll meet Fritz Knoebel’s current crop of student-athletes. These students hit the books and compete for the University of Denver in the pool, on the uneven bars and on the lacrosse and soccer fields. Read on to meet them.
SUMMER 2018 | KNOEBEL NEWS
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WOODY KELLY
AMELIA COLE
Alexandria, Virginia | Class of 2021 Women’s Lacrosse Hospitality is for me because … “I was drawn to the major by the variety of career options associated with it. After graduation I want to find a field and a job where I can be happy and love what I do every day. Down the line, I hope to be able to fulfill my dream of opening my own bed & breakfast on the beach or in the mountains.” “My most memorable moments so far have been being able to explore the exciting class options at Knoebel and the opportunities I have had throughout my time here at DU. I will always remember beating Stanford in our first game of the 2018 season.” Being a student athlete in hospitality ... “I have learned you have to stay on top of everything, and your school work has to come first in every case. Time management is incredibly important.” Influential people ... “One of my biggest inspirations is my mom. She has sacrificed so much for my sister and me so that we can attend our dream schools, and I owe all of my success in life to her.” “My mentors are my coaches since they push me to be a better version of myself every day, and they drive me to want to succeed on and off the field.” ■
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Baltimore, Maryland | Class of 2021 Men’s Lacrosse Hospitality excites me because of … “The culture and atmosphere that hospitality brings. I am interested in event planning and have always been intrigued by the restaurant business. I enjoy working with a team and making things happen from scratch. I am excited to join a rapidly growing industry. I am still trying to figure out exactly what I want to do after graduation, but I know I want to use my creativity and always be thinking outside the box in whatever I do.” Finding balance ... “I chose DU for its great location and because I had a chance to play Division I sports while getting a great education. I have learned the importance of time management and that you have to budget your time wisely to get everything done. The career fair was a great opportunity where I got to explore many job opportunities for the summer. The winter Denver Air Force game was also a memorable moment. I have never seen a game played in so much snow!” Family inspiration ... “My family inspires me, especially my older brothers. They are all so hardworking and always looking for ways to better the world.” ■
CLAIRE KERN
Charlotte, North Carolina | Class of 2019 Women’s Gymnastics A journey to hospitality ... “I came in as a freshman not having any idea what I wanted to major in. I didn't enjoy the initial business classes I was taking, so I took the Exploring Hospitality Management course during Spring Quarter of my freshman year. The class piqued my interest in hospitality, but I wasn’t sold. At the time, I had come to the conclusion that my dream was to work in the wedding industry. I had not yet put together that majoring in hospitality would be the best way for me to get into the wedding industry until I sat down with Fritz Knoebel faculty. They helped me understand the variety of options available to hospitality students. Changing my major has been the best decision I’ve ever made. The staff and faculty clearly care about me as a person, not just as a student.” “Being a student-athlete in hospitality has taught me that you can make anything happen if you want it badly enough. I shied away from hospitality at first because of the 1,000-hour work requirement. I didn’t think it would be possible to make that happen with the responsibilities I have as a student-athlete. However, I knew this was something I really wanted, so I decided to go after it. I think I’ve really learned that it’s so worth it to face challenges head on and life is so much more rewarding when you don’t choose to take the easy way out.” “When I started to think about where I wanted to go to school, I was only in eighth grade and I had no idea what I wanted to study. However, I knew I wanted to go to school in a different part of the country. While I love North Carolina, I knew that going to school far away
from home would help me grow as a person and establish myself as an individual. I can’t explain why, but when I stepped on DU’s campus, I knew that it was the place for me. The University of Denver is a great school both academically and athletically, so it was the best of both worlds.” My mentors ... I have three brothers—Ben, Will and Tucker. They are definitely my biggest source of inspiration because they are really three of the most amazing people I know. Ben and Will both serve in the Air Force, so watching them sacrifice for our country makes me the proudest sister ever. Tucker is still in middle school, and he has the biggest heart of anyone I know and is so wise beyond his years. My brothers are the type of people that are going to change the world, and I am so fortunate that I get to go through life with them.” “I have two people in my life that I consider mentors—Sophie Bushong from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Melissa Kutcher, my head coach. Sophie has taught me a lot about faith and what it means to be a Christian, and she is a good friend who is there for me whenever I need her. Melissa is a big reason why I chose to attend DU. Since the beginning of her time as head coach of the gymnastics team, she has preached the importance of three values: teamwork, character and excellence. Although gymnastics is very important to her, she cares more about who her athletes are as people. She continually pushes me to be the best version of myself in and out of the gym and she really just believes in me.” ■
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CRAIG ROBROCK
Savage, Minnesota | Class of 2020 Men’s Swimming Hospitality found me …
MAYA ROSTON
Newport Beach, California | Class of 2021 Women’s Soccer What drew you to hospitality? “The interesting classes associated with the program and the potential careers in the industry drew me to hospitality. I love the location of the school, and I felt at home as soon as I visited the campus.” “Having the opportunity to listen to and meet the guest speakers in the Introduction to Hospitality class was one of the most memorable moments for me so far at DU. As an athlete, I will forever remember scoring a goal in my first game, winning the summit league tournament and making the NCAA tournament.” Balancing academics and athletics ... “The biggest things I have learned so far are how to manage my time efficiently and work with others effectively.” My inspiration ... “My parents inspire me. They have been so successful in their careers, and they have shown me what it means to work hard for success.” ■
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“After pursuing a chemistry degree for two quarters and not enjoying what I was studying, I turned to an upperclassman on the swim team. He was a hospitality major, and I was sold on switching majors after talking with him about the variety of job opportunities offered in the industry and the incredible places in which you can work.” “Growing up, I always wanted to be like my brother. He attended DU, and along with the opportunity to join the swim team, it was a great option for me.” “In hospitality, my most memorable moment was going to Vail for a class field trip. We stayed at the Westin and had the chance to interview multiple general managers of other local ski resorts. My most memorable moment as an athlete was when we camped as a team in the woods. We had a great time, and I was able to bond with my teammates.” Balancing athletics and Fritz Knoebel ...
“I have learned the need to be flexible and work with faculty and my coach to make everything work. For instance, I will be studying abroad my senior year instead of my junior year to fit with my swimming schedule.” My inspiration ...
“My older brother inspires me. I want to make him proud. He was a father figure when I was growing up, and he motivates me to be the best I can be at whatever I do.” ■
ALUMNI UPDATES Mark Raymond (1979), is now the general manager of Richmond Country Club in Richmond, Virginia Jeff Hopmayer (1986), was appointed to Amber Beverage’s supervisory board David Oliver (1986), has stepped down as general manager of Rams Gate Winery Carly Thorpe (2009), has been promoted to the director of asset management, Hospitality for McWhinney Real Estate in Denver, Colorado Josué Castañón (2011), is the director of finance, DoubleTree by Hilton in Vancouver, Washington Andrew Luersen (2011), is now the internal communications and engagement manager, Aspen Skiing Company Natalie Wren (2015), is now the allocations manager of Covert Winery Lorenzo Carriedo (2017), was promoted to assistant manager, DC Marriott Marquis
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