Pres. Rosenberg blogs from China: May 14, 2013


Pioneers

May 14, 2013

Macao — a Special Administrative Region of China — has two distinct looks. It is a 21st century gaming central for China but still maintains its charm as a former Portuguese colony that was turned over as a SAR in 1999.

So where better to initiate a new internship program for the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management than this micro-state of just 28 square kilometers? The “Macao 8,” as they refer to themselves, are a group of eight FIU hospitality management majors, ranging from a freshman from Curacao to a master’s level student who graduated from FIU in 2009.

These hearty students are, in fact, pioneers. They are our first-ever interns in Macao — under the supervision of friends from the City University of Macao, a new private university whose chancellor is a successful businessman/political leader from the community. They will be in Macao for three months, with assignments at key hotels to match their professional interests in the field of hospitality.

What a joy to sit with our student interns at a festive dinner hosted by Dean Mike Hampton in one of Macao’s edgy restaurants. During this gathering, they shared their hopes and dreams for their summer sojourn. While some were clearer than others about what they might get out of the experience, no one doubted that they were on an adventure of potentially significant proportions.

The Macao 8 can be followed on Facebook, where they will share news and notes from their experience this summer. Like so many other students who have internships, no doubt these experiences in one of China’s more interesting places (and there are so many) will frame much of their early professional success. And that’s what it means to be “Worlds Ahead”!

Note from FIU News: This is President Rosenberg’s fourth annual blog chronicling the TUC-FIU partnership, the annual China Commencement and our students in the China program. 

 

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