Message from Tim Lam

 

Attending graduation is one of my favorite duties as the Executive Director. Our 29th graduation did not disappoint. The energy was palpable and the enthusiasm expressed by our students was unmeasurable. Mr. Chris Walker delivered a captivating speech, as the beginnings of his hospitality journey included completing the Art of Concierge course at TISOH. In less than five years, he is now the Director of Hotel Operations at The Luxor. 

 

After ten amazing years at TISOH, I cannot help but reflect and remember all of the wonderful people that brought life to our school. Our amazing group of students, alums, instructors, industry partners, externship sponsors and faculty are the foundation to the success of TISOH. As many of you know, 5/5/15 was the school's 10th anniversary. A gala dinner was held to celebrate the occasion. More details on this dinner is highlighted in this issue. 

 

As we enter our summer semester, I am so excited to see all of the wonderful events, workshops, and externships planned for our students.  It is going to be a hot summer and we cannot wait for TISOH to bring the heat!!

 

Sincerely, 


TISOH Executive Director


TISOH celebrates 10 years of DREAMS PASSIONS CAREERS

On May 5, 2015, TISOH held a black tie gala dinner at the Bellagio to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Staff, faculty, alum and industry supporters got together for an evening that began with a silent auction benefiting the 501(c)3 Timothy S Y Lam Foundation. Guests then enjoyed a four-course extravaganza with dishes such as caviar parfait, asparagus salad, lobster pot pie and a dessert trio emblazoned with the school logo. 

With entertainment from live music with the Frank Salerno trio featuring American Idol finalist Amanda Avila, there was also a dance troupe of 6 to get the party started and a dance competition underway. The evening sparkled under the beautiful décor and over the top flower arrangements. As a special momento, an artist was present to paint the evening live. 

Special thanks to evening sponsors the Bellagio, MGM Resorts Event Production, Creative Covering, Jenna Dosch Photography, Memory Lane Video, Southern Wine and Spirits and Brit Bertino Event Excellence

To view the amazing photos from the evening, courtesy of Jenna Dosch Photography, please visit:  http://jennadoschphotography.shootproof.com/event/1433299

Ten years of of the TISOH experience in one video showcase

How do you fit 10 years of experiences into one highlight reel? This is our grand attempt. We take a fond look back at the ten years of seeing our students transform from eager learners to career professionals. We revisit all the nervous first days of class, the energy of graduations, the exploration of site visits and behind-the-scenes tours, the many inspirational talks by industry guest speakers, and all the special events in between semesters that truly define what the TISOH experience really means, a journey of turning dreams and passions into careers. Here's to the next ten years and beyond! 
Happy Anniversary to The International School of Hospitality!

TISOH students celebrate at 29th graduation

With roaring ovations and tons of TISOH spirit, our graduation event at Spanish Trail Country Club was a night that will be remembered for years to come. The evening began with alum and Director of Hotel Operations of the Luxor, Chris Walker, delivering a motivational speech to our students. The ceremony completed with a special barbershop quartet performance by Jackpot.  The reception did not disappoint as the live action pasta and carving stations were popular destinations for our hungry guests. Many stayed until the very end reminiscing about the semester and speaking about the endless possibilities that await them after graduation.

To view the photos from graduation, please visit:

FACES of TISOH video debuts at graduation

One of the highlights and most aniticipated event at graduation is viewing the Faces of TISOH video for the semeseter. Please enjoy as we recap our best and brightest moments!

TISOH Retro Mixer attracts quite the mob

Our Alumni Association outdid themselves as they hosted the Retro Mixer spring event. The Mob Bar at Downtown Grand Hotel and Casino was packed with students and alums. The special event was designed to host an evening of networking followed with a fun activity. After experiencing the delicious bites, the group headed over to the Mob Museum to learn about the history and hospitality connection that exist in Las Vegas. Afterwards, the group came back to the Mob Bar to conclude the festivities with a prize-filled raffle. 


TISOH Stories is a new monthly column that chronicles a school alum's journey from student to career professional. To kick off this inspirational series, we spotlight Rissa, Traci, and Tara. These three special alums met in the TISOH Wedding Coordination & Design course in 2009, became the best of friends, and started what has become one of the premier event and wedding planning companies in Las Vegas.  Recently, at the school's 10th Anniversary Gala, they were honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award

A must read for any prospective student or would be event / wedding planner is their latest blog entry, where they tell their story in detail, from how everything started to where they are now.  

Excerpt:  "Over the past 5 years, it has been the connections, relationships and support from our TISOH team that gave us the oomph to take an idea and turn it into a reality.


 

We are beyond grateful to TISOH for the experiences and opportunities they provided. There have been hundreds of graduates from TISOH.  And many of them have started their own businesses and many of them have landed major jobs with major companies. But our Scheme story is something that I believe is particularly special.


 

As our 5 year anniversary approaches we have some exciting things in the works and will reflect on what happened in years 2-5, but today we want to thank TISOH for getting us started. We couldn't have done it without the professors, the faculty, the Las Vegas NACE Board of Directors and all those that encouraged and supported us."


 


Scheme Wedding and Event Design 


Steve Wynn gives Concierge industry thumbs up

For anyone considering a career as a Concierge, there is no better time to make the transition than now.  The incomparable Steve Wynn takes the stage at the 2015 Concierge Choice Awards to show his steadfast support of this important profession. Watch the short video above and be inspired by his words.  Cecilia Darr, TISOH alum and President of the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association, is on hand to present him with an award honoring Mr Wynn's friendship with the Concierge profession. 


TISOH congratulates Chris Tamura on new position

TISOH wishes our former student services program manager best wishes as Chris Tamura rejoins the hotel industry. This is not goodbye as Chris will continue to teach at TISOH. Stay tuned to the next issue as we introduce the new student services manager!


NACE Student Chapter installs new TISOH directors

Congratulations to the newly installed NACE Las Vegas Student Chapter Board! There are five TISOH alums that were elected on the board of seven. They include Shawndra Talaga - President, Grace Julaton - Vice President of Membership, Neda Pazuki - Secretary, and  Javier Garcia -Communications Chair. We wish them the best of luck!


Instructor Kate Patay CPCE was announced this month as a recipient of the prestigious 2015 Pacesetter Award from the CIC: Convention Industry Council! Kate is the third TISOH family member to receive recognition in the past two years, following the footsteps of Patti Shock and Dr. Donnell Bayot.


 


 

Have you ever thought about taking classes at TISOH? If you display one or more traits below, you may want to explore your options of enrolling in classes at TISOH


 
CLASSES START NEXT WEEK
  ENROLL TODAY
 

 

 

1) Do you want to earn an Executive Diploma by December of this year?

 

Registering and successfully passing two classes in the summer session and two classes in the fall session may qualify you to earn your Executive Diploma prior to the end of 2015. 

 

2) Are you eager to fill your summer with networking opportunities? 

 

In addition to classroom assignments and projects, students are exposed to industry renowned guest speakers, site visits at award winning hotels and venues, and observation and externship opportunities. 

 

3) Do you enjoy fast paced active courses? 

 

You may not have to exercise when taking courses at TISOH. Many of classes have hands-on activities, walking some of the most exciting event spaces, and role playing that will definitely keep every student active. 

 

4) Do you want to stay cool during the summer heat wave? 

 

Why sweat in the heat when you have an opportunity to study at our state-of the-art facility equipped with a student study lounge and plenty of air conditioning? Enjoy your summer while earning a certificate that can potentially lead you to the career of your dreams. 

 

Summer session starts next week!

Ready to get started?  Learn more by visiting www.TISOH.edu today

 


TISOH is feeling presidential this year as our students, alums, faculty and administrators are currently serving as President for their respective industry associations. 


 

President Positions of Students/Faculty/ Administration



 



 

Cecilia DarrPresident of Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association- SNHCA (Graduate of AOC)

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glenn Gillett - President of National Concierge Association Nevada Chapter NCA (Graduate of AOC)

 

 

  

 

 



John Humphries - President of International Special Events Society Las Vegas Chapter ISES- (Graduate of EDP)

 

 

 







 

Timothy Lam CHT, CGSP - President of Foundation of National 

Association for Catering and Events (TISOH Executive Director)

 

 







Shawndra Talaga - President of National Association for Catering and Events Las Vegas Student Chapter (Executive Diploma Graduate) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Testagrossa CPCE, CHE - President of National Association for Catering and Events Las Vegas Chapter (Instructor of WCD)

 

 

  


 


 
 
What to do once you graduate

Now that we have successfully completed another graduation, the most common question I get from graduates is "Now what?" In addition to preparing resumes, seeking career guidance from school, here are some helpful tips that may assist in the pursuit of your new career?

 


 

1) Join an industry association and attend networking meetings. 

The only way to get your name out in the industry is to actually get out in the industry.  Meeting people and getting to know them is critical in establishing your name in the community.

 


 

2) Do not settle. At the same time, be realistic.

If you have never had a job, stepping in to a director position could be challenging. You may have a better chance of hitting the lottery. Have realistic goals and salary expectations when looking for employment. Research the trends of your desired job and ensure you are prepared to take the leap. Some positions traditionally hire new staff as on-call and/or part-time. If this is a job you want, expecting a full-time position at the beginning may not be realistic. 

 


 

3) Do not accept every offer or commit to multiple employers. 

Once you accept, you should commit. Reputation is everything. If you interview for five positions and get five job offers, think about the best one that will fit your needs before making a decision. Do not accept a position unless you have the intention to stay with your new employer. 


 


 

4) Strike while the iron is hot!!

For graduates, I recommend immediately hitting the pavement or keyboard. Start you search as soon as you can. Employers will hire new graduates. If time lingers on, you may have to explain the long gap of unemployment which may decrease your overall value.


 


 

5) Make wise choices.

Picking your first employer in the industry might have a long-lasting impact in your career. When I was 16 years old, I worked at the MGM Grand and went to the Four Seasons Hotel at 19 years of age. Having the brand names on my resume helped me throughout my job searches. Try and predict your future and see if the brand that you choose aligns with your overall goals. 


 

Chris Tamura is a hotel professional, a certified hospitality educator and an instructor at TISOH. You can reach him at ctamura@tisoh.com

 
Classes start
NEXT WEEK
May 18

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