During my childhood, I was surrounded by the energy, organization, and purpose of the hospitality industry.
While many children spent weekends at sporting events or birthday parties, I often found myself in hotel ballrooms, cruise ships, and event spaces watching professionals transform empty rooms into meaningful experiences. My mother and aunt both work in hospitality, leading corporate conferences and incentive travel programs, managing client relationships, designing educational sessions, and creating events that bring people together. Because of them, hospitality was never simply a career field I learned about; it became part of my everyday life. Long before I fully understood event management, sales, incentive travel, or marketing, I was already participating in the industry in small ways. By the age of four, I was helping create name badges, organizing registration materials, stuffing attendee packets, and wrapping speaker gifts. At the time, these tasks felt simple, but looking back, those early experiences sparked a passion that has continued to grow and shape the career that I am now pursuing.
As I grew older, I began to understand that hospitality is about much more than hotels, meetings, entertainment, or beautifully designed event spaces. I saw the countless hours of preparation, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork that happen behind the scenes. I watched my mother and aunt handle last-minute changes with confidence, build trust with clients, and create environments where people felt welcomed and valued. I noticed how every detail mattered, from the placement of a welcome sign to the flow of an event agenda. Most importantly, I saw the impact these events had on people. Guests left events feeling inspired, educated, connected, motivated, and appreciated. Watching this process taught me that hospitality is ultimately about creating experiences that foster connection and leave a lasting impression.
One of my favorite memories was watching attendees arrive at a conference after months of preparation and seeing complete strangers quickly begin talking, laughing, and building relationships. At that moment, I realized that hospitality has the power to create genuine human connection. It is an industry centered on relationships, trust, and creating moments that people remember long after an event concludes.
Although those early experiences sparked my curiosity, it was not until high school that my interest became a clear career goal. When I enrolled in the Resort and Event Management (REM) program through a local Career and Technical Education (CTE) school, I found myself in an environment that confirmed everything I had grown to love about the industry. The program became one of the most influential parts of my academic journey and gave me a clearer vision of my future. Through REM, I earned college credit, industry certifications, and valuable hands-on experience that allowed me to move beyond observation and into active participation. I was no longer simply watching events happen; I was helping design them.
Through this program, I worked on collaborative projects, participated in hotel site visits, learned directly from hospitality professionals, and gained exposure to the many moving parts that make successful events possible. I visited hotels, conference centers, and event venues, seeing firsthand how teams in sales, operations, food and beverage, marketing, and guest services work together to create exceptional experiences. These opportunities showed me that hospitality is one of the most relationship-driven industries in the world. Success depends not only on organization and technical skill, but also on understanding people, communicating effectively, and creating environments where others feel seen and appreciated.
One of the most important parts of my journey has been realizing how naturally my personality aligns with this field. I genuinely enjoy connecting with people, making others feel comfortable, and bringing positive energy into a room. I value authenticity, humor, kindness, loyalty, and service – qualities that I have come to understand are not only personal strengths, but also professional assets in hospitality. Whether I am meeting someone for the first time, working as part of a team, or helping solve a problem under pressure, I enjoy building trust and creating welcoming environments. Through my experiences, I have discovered that some of my greatest strengths come alive when I am serving others and helping create meaningful connections.
In addition to my classroom experiences, I have been fortunate to gain real-world exposure through internships and job shadow opportunities. I spent time shadowing professionals in hotel sales and event management, observing client meetings, site tours, and operational planning. I watched senior leaders ask thoughtful questions, listen carefully to client goals, and adapt recommendations to create personalized experiences. Seeing this process in action strengthened my interest in the business side of hospitality, particularly in sales and marketing. I realized that behind every successful event is someone who understands not only logistics, but also people, someone who can listen, build trust, communicate a vision,
and create partnerships that lead to long-term success.
This is what ultimately sparked my specific interest in hospitality marketing and sales. While I enjoy the operational and creative sides of events, I am especially drawn to the process of building relationships, understanding client needs, and helping tell the story of a brand, property, or experience. Marketing within hospitality is unique because it goes beyond promoting a product or service. It involves creating emotional connections, understanding what motivates people, and designing experiences that feel memorable and
meaningful. Sales is equally exciting because it combines strategy, communication, problem-solving, and relationship management. I am inspired by the idea of representing hotels, venues, cruise lines, destination management companies, tourism organizations, or other hospitality brands while helping clients create experiences that align with their goals and vision.
This past year, I had the opportunity to intern for a full-service global event sourcing and services company. Through this internship, I have attended industry conferences, learned about destinations and hotels around the world, and assisted clients with incentive programs and corporate events. I have helped with gifting experiences at a mountain resort, activations for a large meeting on a cruise ship, hotel sourcing for retreats, and identifying destination management companies for incentive trips. These experiences gave me an even greater appreciation for the creativity, organization, and collaboration required to create successful events and travel experiences.
This internship also introduced me to Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), including local chapter networking and educational events. I am excited to continue learning about the incentive travel industry through involvement in my local chapter’s events and young leaders committees. This summer, I will also begin studying for the Certified Incentive Specialist (CIS) certification.
As I look toward college and my future career, I am excited to continue studying hospitality, events, and incentive travel through the lens of experiential design, management, marketing, and leadership. I am especially interested in learning more about consumer behavior, branding, digital marketing, event design, sponsorship development, and strategic partnerships. I want to better understand what drives people’s decisions, how brands create loyalty, and how experiences influence emotions, relationships, and longterm connections.
I am also eager to learn more about leadership within the hospitality industry. Through academics, athletics, internships, and leadership opportunities, I have learned the importance of teamwork, accountability, and communication. However, I know effective leadership in hospitality requires much more. It requires emotional intelligence, adaptability, cultural awareness, and the ability to make others feel empowered. I look
forward to studying organizational leadership and learning how to lead teams in fastpaced, people-centered environments where every interaction matters.
Another topic I am excited to explore is the future of experiential design and technology within hospitality. As the industry continues to evolve, technology is changing how events are planned, marketed, and experienced. From personalized guest experiences to digital engagement strategies and event analytics, I want to understand how innovation can enhance human connection rather than replace it. I believe the most successful hospitality professionals will be those who can balance technology with authenticity, creativity, and genuine relationships.
When I think about what first sparked my passion for this field, I always return to those early memories of helping behind the scenes and watching strong women create authentic interactions for others. What began as simple childhood tasks eventually became the foundation for my future. Over time, that curiosity grew into purpose, and that purpose became a clear career vision.
Hospitality is not simply the career I hope to pursue; it is where my strengths, values, experiences, and passions naturally intersect. I am excited to continue learning, growing, and developing the skills necessary to make a lasting impact in this industry. My goal is to build a career where I can create memorable moments, strengthen relationships, and help people feel connected, welcomed, and inspired. I know this journey is only beginning, and I am excited to now learn from SITE members and the incentive industry.
Liesl is one of four 2026-27 academic scholarship recipients, an annual award funded by SITE Foundation. You can find more details about all of this year’s recipients here. You can also help shape future industry careers by making a donation to SITE Foundation in support of scholarships and other projects expanding the power and potential of incentive travel.
