Newsletter Fall 2017
This inaugural newsletter is to keep in touch with MTM alumni and provide you with up to date information on the program and inform you of upcoming events. We invite you to share comments and feedback on the program as well as new opportunities in your field and organization for other recent grads. This will continue as a bi-annual newsletter to highlight alumni achievements and changes within the department.
The department is adding a new graduate certificate (pending launch Spring 2018) in Adventure Tourism, highlighting the key areas of expertise needed to succeed in this fast-growing industry segment. This, along with the existing Ski Area Management graduate certificate, offer industry professionals the option of being completed alone or taken in conjunction with the MTM degree. With the addition of the Adventure Tourism certificate, HDNR became a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), bringing the department competitive opportunities to establish CSU as a leader in adventure tourism. Also, an affiliate member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, CSU and the MTM program demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism. This partnership brought the opportunity to partner with the Universitat de Andorra to participate in a Post-Graduate Diploma in Mountain Tourism, providing students with the skills and expertise critical to success in the operation of mountain tourism enterprises across the globe.
The MTM program continues to partner with Central China Normal University, extending their collaborative teaching efforts, and recently bringing the first MTM China cohort to CSU commencement ceremonies.
We’d like to thank our advisory board members, some of whom are alumni of the program, for bringing their knowledge and expertise of all aspects of the tourism industry in planning for the future. These individuals have devoted their time to continually improving the program and participated in class lectures, presentations, and field trips for students in the program.
For even more details on what has happened over the past year and more, please see our MTM Annual Reports
Alumni Highlights
Loose and Smyth At Semester at Sea
Semester at Sea’s (SAS) partnership with Colorado State University extends well beyond a partnership between the organizations. Two graduates of CSU’s Master of Tourism Management program are continuing their passion for the domestic and global travel industry through permanent positions at SAS.
Shami Loose was hired in early February as executive assistant to the president and CEO and board relations, a few months prior to her graduation from the online MTM program.
Loose, a 17-year CSU employee, brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to SAS and is excited to facilitate the integration of the two institutional cultures. She works with CEO and President Loren Crabtree to help foster the development of a leadership team for Semester at Sea.
Hallie Smyth, also a graduate of the MTM program, became familiar with SAS through her mother-in-law, who sailed in 1967.
Smyth will be using the marketing, design and social media skills she learned from MTM in her new position as an administrative assistant for SAS. She previously worked for other major tourist corporations including Expedia.com and Visit Estes. Her work history and education play a vital role in helping her to support, coordinate and contribute to the SAS culture.
Source: Wes White, Source Article, September 15, 2016
T.E.A. Winner takes “Next Adventure Company” to next Level
Ben Larson, Founder and Adventure Consultant at Next Adventure Company, LLC
2017 MTM graduate, Benjamin Larson, utilized the Tourism Enterprise Award (T.E.A.) focus of the on-campus program to launch his concierge travel business: Next Adventure Company. The new organization is a full-service guide company specializing in custom adventure vacations for small groups of family and friends. As owner and founder of the LLC incorporated in spring of 2017, Ben is excited to bring to life this dream and share his passion and skills of outdoor recreation in Colorado. As a resident of the state for nine years, Ben brings experience in guiding and many years as a camp director to create custom adventures tailored to the travel desires of any and every traveler group. To relieve the stress of travel planning, Next Adventure Company offers vacation packages ranging from family vacations to the weekend warrior and bucket list adventures, to women’s only packages. Currently, the business is up and running and Ben has started leading trips in colorful Colorado over the summer of 2017.
More Alumni News
Adam Campbell, MTM Online Graduate 2017, Promotion to Director of National Accounts at Compass Group
Olga Gachkova, MTM On-Campus 2017, Promotion from intern to Acting Manager at Appalachian Mountain Club Lodge
Michael Schmidt, MTM On-Campus 2016, Promotion from Tour Concierge at The Crawford Hotel to Marketing Coordinator at Sage Hospitality
Brandon Clark, MTM On-Campus 2017, Received 3rd place in the Marriott Vacation Club Contest for his Coloradical Ropes Course plan, this submission was based on his Tourism Enterprise Business plan he developed with Noelle Junegling
Angela Hollingsworth, MTM On-line 2015, recently selected as a participant of the inaugural Colorado Tourism Leadership Journey Class of 2018
Mathew Henderson, MTM 2014, recently hired by Colorado Tourism Office as Director of Visitor Services
Daniel Pliske, MTM 2014, recently hired by Visit Estes Park as Marketing and Communications Manager
Do you have career news to share with us? Also, please check to see if we have added you to our MTM Alumni page with correct job title or if we need to update your profile image: https://warnercnr.colostate.edu/hdnr/master-tourism-management/mtm-alumni-profiles/
Please share your updates by emailing Angela at apholl@colostate.edu
2017 Advisory Board Retreat: New Directions
The purpose of the May 2017 Advisory Board retreat was to obtain the board’s input on two key topics important to the future of our programs and as always, the discussion proved to be very insightful and will be incredibly valuable.
The topics of discussion were:
- Topic One – “Advisory Board Engagement: Roles and Responsibilities, Governance”
- Topic Two – “Masters of Tourism Management (MTM) Growth Opportunities”
Following a brief introduction and some opening comments from Joe Blake and Mark Gasta, participants joined a sub-group facilitated by a CSU faculty member. Once each group completed their review and engagement with the two topics, participants were given three votes to identify their preferred areas of opportunity within each topic.
The outcome of the voting and the board’s priorities for us moving forward include:
- Role of the Board. The board recommends continuation of the current direction and meeting structure and they are willing to be even more actively involved as advisors, mentors, ambassadors, in assisting students with networking. The board suggested that the MTM faculty be more assertive and ask for what is needed. The board emphasized the need to be strategic with our out-reach. For example, identifying key subgroups (HR, legal, finance, function, industry, sector) and holding sub-group meetings as our needs warrant. The board also recommends that we seek to include representation from all relevant areas of industry and that address future trends (e.g. millennials).
- MTM Program. The board recommended that MTM increase our tourism policy related content, specifically as it relates to the shared economy. The board also encouraged MTM to focus on expanding relationships and partnerships within the university in order to deepen program expertise and grow program offerings. The board members are willing to leverage their university relationships to assist in this. Board members also emphasized the importance of volunteering, offering their organizations for real-world case study examples to be utilized in the MTM curriculum. This will both help to build relationships between board members and students and provide greater depth and relevance in our courses.
- China Engagement. Finally, the board felt strongly that MTM should continue to focus on expanding engagement in China and look for ways to expand our offerings in order to capitalize upon the growing opportunities and needs in that country. MTM faculty and staff will address these recommendations in planning for the future, providing periodic updates at future meetings.
Mark Gasta joins MTM Faculty
Mark Gasta, former executive vice president of Vail Resorts, has joined the faculty of the Colorado State University Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources to teach in the Master of Tourism Management program.
Gasta brings more than 20 years of experience as a corporate human resources professional creating authentic guest experiences and an engaged workforce, as well as his passion for the environment into the classroom.
Gasta joined Vail Resorts in January 2008 as a senior vice president and chief human resources officer. Previously, he held human resources management positions for Comcast Communications, AT&T Broadband, Lexis-Nexis and Target Corporation. He also served in the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer and aviator.
Gasta’s engagement on the MTM advisory board means that he is already familiar with the program, and that he’ll hit the ground running as a faculty member.
Gasta said in his new position he will dig into the program deeper and instill his philosophies around talent management, leadership and engagement in the tourism industry.
Gasta’s work at CSU will focus on developing and teaching courses in adventure tourism, tourism leadership and ski area management.
Source: Rob Novak, Source Article, November 16, 2016
Graduate Certificate Programs
Ski Area Management Graduate Certificate
Colorado State University’s online ski resort management certificate prepares students with the fundamentals for a competitive edge in the ski industry. This 6 course, 12 credit program provides students with the management, finance, and operational knowledge required for successful ski area management and operations. Principles relating to sustainability, strategic management, marketing, human resources management, finance and investment, and planning and development are examined and applied within a ski area context. This program was launched in the fall of 2015 and now boasts 19 graduates of the program.
Graduate Certificate in Adventure Tourism
The Graduate Certificate in Adventure Tourism is a 6 course, 12 credit offering that provides students with theoretical, managerial, and entrepreneurial knowledge and skills required for successfully developing and managing land-,water-and air-based adventure tourism enterprises. This graduate certificate addresses a growing need within the adventure tourism industry for graduate-level education focused specifically on small- to medium-sized business entrepreneurship and development. This program is awaiting final accreditation and is expected to launch in the spring of 2018.
How You Can Help
We need your help and input! Please help the MTM program improve by participating in our anonymous 18 question program survey by following this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6C3SFWL
Do you remember how you discovered the MTM program? We could use your help with our marketing efforts as well by filling out this short survey about how you discovered our program, please follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N5R8D5F.
4 Things We Would Love Our Alumni to do:
1) Share your story or testimonial. Your story is important to us and to the potential growth and strength of our program. We would love to receive annual updates from you about how your career is going. We are currently using your LinkedIn page for most recent profile and information, though, if it is out of date please send us updated information. Also, if your primary contact information has changed (email, phone, address) please update us on this as well.
2) Remember to look to us for future employees. Whether you are hiring or the organization you work for is hiring, if it is a job you know would be suitable for our future graduates please share those opportunities with us and/or use the CSU Handshake job system to post job openings.
3) Consider being a speaker or mentor. We are always looking for candidates willing to be speakers either for classes or for other special events. We are interested in all kinds of tourism related stories; your experiences can be the best inspiration! If you are in the area surrounding Fort Collins, we invite you to join us for our social gatherings as well, including orientation, graduation, lectures, guest speakers and more.
4) Stay in touch! If you don’t already follow our social media we would love it if you would. We use Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoStateMTM/) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6695698), we would love to follow your business or organization so we can keep up with tourism trends of our alumni.
We are open to any other ideas or input you may have that can help us be the best graduate tourism program! We’d like to touch base with you on occasion through simple reminders like this, but if you are not interested in receiving any future emails please let me know.
Have a wonderful day!
Please share any updates with Angela Hollingsworth (apholl@colostate.edu) or call 970-491-7214.