On November 24, approximately fifty MTA students, alumni, and faculty attended the 2014 Fall Colloquium sponsored by Tourism for Tomorrow in the Marvin Center Amphitheater. This year’s theme was two-fold: exploring careers in tourism and the perks of living and working in Washington, D.C. Seven incredible panelists, representing each of the MTA’s four concentrations, took the time to visit GW and discuss their various winding paths through the tourism industry. The panelists included:
J. Chris Babb, President, The Group Tour Company
Emily Cassell, Director, Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau
Ryan Cummings, Associate, Event Farm
Noori Janjari, General Manager, Churchill Hotel
Brad Nierenberg, CEO, Redpeg Marketing
Amy Sullivan, Event Coordinator, Marine Corps Marathon
Christina Taylor, CEO, TaylorMade Experience
Dr. Stuart Levy, who served as an excellent ambassador for the MTA program, moderated the panel discussion. Topics included networking techniques, internship advice, and course recommendations. All panelists discussed the benefits of working in the D.C. metro area and the importance of a central location for collaboration with other like-minded organizations. Perhaps the most eye-opening and encouraging panelist stories were about their own career journeys which were incredibly varied and interesting.
The panel discussion was followed by a Q&A session in which students were invited to lead the discussion. The participants and attendees then adjourned to a networking reception with refreshments.