Seven students chosen by the hospitality management program went on a trip to the mountains to work at the X Games and gain work experience in the real world.
Part of hospitality and management is learning how to work in the service industry, including large and small events. From Jan. 21-24, these students, from different majors ranging from hospitality management to business, got a chance to put the skills they have learned from their classes to the test in Aspen, Colorado.
Hospitality management senior Sierra Cechura is one of the seven students selected and shared her thoughts about the trip.
“I am hoping to gain more of an understanding of how large events work for one and then also see how to work with other people that are like either international or from different schools or even just people from Ferris that I don’t personally know so much in a professional manner as is this,” Cechura said. “We will be working it so it is a job we are getting paid to do so that will be cool too. That is what I’m hoping to gain out of, it is to learn how to be more professional in a professional setting just like an internship would but this is jammed pack and only four days.”
Cechura explained her plans to go into working events after she graduates. This event gives students firsthand experience while working on large events and how they are structured.
With the X Games, competitors and visitors come far and wide to watch or compete in extreme sports. Each student worked a full day in their assigned posts, making sure the event ran smoothly and a safe environment for everyone. While students were there for the work experience, they showed their Ferris State pride by raising the crimson and gold bulldog flag in the freezing cold mountains.
Business administration junior Benji Zorn enjoyed his experience with the X Games and his experience working there.
“This was an incredibly fun event as well as a complete test of endurance and mental fortitude. I say that because athletes are doing jumps and tricks all around as tens of thousands of spectators roam and experience all while you are putting in 15+ hours at the event,” Zorn said. “Your feet get cold, your legs are aching but you are around the best winter athletes in the world. It is a hard feeling to describe but one that I really enjoyed feeling.”
Working behind the scenes of this major winter event, the seven students, including Zorn, had to embrace being on their feet and face the bitterly cold weather. The hospitality department has done trips to large events for over a decade, and depending on the field, students who are chosen get to experience what their major would look like when applied in the real world.
Cechura gave her thoughts about what she wanted to do after graduation.
“I kind of wanna go into events once I graduate, working the X Games helped me because this is where I see firsthand large events, so something that includes athletes, so this is something to be a part of and to witness before I even graduate and go out to my career,” Cechura said.
This trip provided some key factors that are different from the standard classroom setting. For both hospitality management and business majors, large-scale events require preparation, focus, teamwork and adaptability. Overall, it is not just about the hard work these students put in, it’s the chance for them to build themselves up.
“This is one of those events that I will be able to talk about for the rest of my life as a result of this being such a unique opportunity. Living in Big Rapids, the opportunity to help a nationally recognized brand in any sort of event is pretty rare, I feel this will drastically help me when applying for jobs as well as using the knowledge I learned at Ferris and in the workforce,” Zorn said.
As these students come back they are left with fond memories, determination and confidence in their skills.