Chaplin School students Marina Boulanger, Leira Fombrun, and Jonathan Rosa were selected to represent FIU at the 2015 International Hotel School Student Challenge in Amsterdam last month. Hotelschool the Hague hosted the competition where students from 10 top hotel schools from around the world were tasked with developing an innovative and sustainable hotel concept that was relevant and applicable to an assigned hotel chain.

During the three-day innovation summit, the FIU delegation and others were separated into culturally diverse teams to encourage interaction with other students and, in the process, gain exposure to different cultures, ideas, and perspectives. Industry professionals and executives provided workshops, lectures, and coaching to inform the ideation process.

Marina Boulanger, junior and vice-president of the Student Hotel Club, learned a great deal about the value of a diverse team in solving a complex problem.

“The cultural differences were unbelievable,” Marina said about her team. “Every student brought something unique and different to the table. All of them were incredibly smart and really brought all aspects of their personalities to the challenge.”

The process was an enlightening experience for senior Leira Fombrun as well. She serves as president for both the Student Hotel Club and FIU’s chapter of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

“I learned that guest experience is no longer about just checking in a customer and providing them with a place to stay, it’s about enhancing their experience and providing personalized customer service,” she said. “Let’s make it more than just a bed. Let’s give our guest a platform to meet other people, to learn about a city’s culture and its locals, all within the walls of the hotel. Let’s make it their home away from home.”

On the final day of the summit, each group’s concept was judged based on innovation, creativity, feasibility, and consistency with the hotel brand. Ideas were presented to CEOs and executives from Citizen M, Marriott, Accor, Starwood, Steinberger, and Rezidor hotels chains who evaluated the teams’ proposals and selected a winning idea.

Marina’s team placed first and Leira’s team placed second.

Marina encourages other students get involved in order to establish a solid foundation for the future. “The opportunities that come with getting involved, even if it’s with one club or going to one networking event, can open doors that you wouldn’t imagine,” she said.

Marina expects to graduate in Summer 2017. Upon graduation, she plans to explore pursuing a graduate education or to be selected as a manager in training for a well-known hotel chain.

Leira anticipates graduating in Fall 2015 and is looking forward to gaining industry experience with a large hotel chain before returning to school to earn a master’s degree in hospitality management.

Jonathan Rosa is currently the president of the collegiate chapter of the Chaplin School’s Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). When asked for reflections after the challenge, Jonathan said, “I now walk on campus constantly thinking of the need, the why, and the how that daunted us for three days and four nights.”

Jonathan’s post-graduation goals after Summer 2016 include becoming a hotel asset manager or hotel broker through revenue management.

Schools participating in the challenge were:

Photo, left to right:
FIU hospitality management students Jonathan Rosa, Leira Fombrun, and Marina Boulanger standing in front of the FIU panther statue.