When Stephanie was in second grade, she struggled heavily with a mild form of dyslexia. Throughout her years in elementary school, her dyslexia held her back from excelling academically and from feeling accepted. After a teacher told her parents that their daughter should not pursue higher education, Stephanie’s mission was to prove everyone wrong.
She transferred to the International School of Curaçao and overcame the challenges posed by being dyslexic through fearless determination, hard work, and ambition. In Fall 2012, she became a student at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. She immediately became involved in student leadership activities and took advantage of the many opportunities for academic and professional development.
In May 2013, Stephanie was the only freshman to join a team of eight hospitality management students for an eight-week summer internship program in the gaming capital of the world, Macau. A few months after her return to the United States, Stephanie helped to reinstate the collegiate chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) in South Florida. She was the president of the chapter for two years and did a great job increasing awareness among the student body. As a result, Stephanie was invited to join the Hospitality Student Leadership Council managed by the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Career Development Program at the Chaplin School. Currently, Stephanie is the co-chair of the council and proudly serves as a peer mentor in the program’s Peer Mentoring Program.
Besides being a full-time student involved in many extracurricular activities, Stephanie is completing a second internship with a Miami–based company that manages large entertainment events. In February 2015, she was a lead associate during the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival Presented by Food & Wine.
After graduation, Stephanie will spend a year in Dubai. Although the competition was fierce, she was selected as a Manager in Training by Kerzner International at the Atlantis The Palm Hotel & Resort.
Stephanie credits Chaplin faculty and staff for her success, especially Delio Morato, her academic advisor. At a personal level, Stephanie is grateful to her parents, Elisabeth and Fredrik van Romondt, for encouraging her to dream big and embrace challenges. Also, she is thankful to her little brother, Timothy van Romondt, for looking up to her and keeping her on her toes.
Stephanie dreams of becoming the CEO of her own empire and aspires to become a powerful leader and a successful role model. Her life vision is to make a difference in the lives of those around her by staying true to her passion for the hospitality industry.
