Missouri State’s hospitality leadership department was well-represented at the Lodging Conference for hospitality CEOs, upper executives and decision makers.

Each year, only a few schools are invited to nominate one of their American Hotel and Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF) scholarship recipients. Recipients of this scholarship are invited to attend the prestigious lodging conference

Elisa Kelley received a scholarship from AHLEF and was chosen to attend the conference in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sept. 24-27.

The hospitality leadership department nominated Kelley because of her dedication to her future career.

Qualifications included excellent personal communication skills, a high-level of participation in industry-related experience, superior scholastic achievement and a professional and mature manner.

“I had the opportunity to build lasting connections with hospitality industry leaders from across the country and form a larger network,” Kelley said. “I also got to see first-hand issues our industry is facing, and how industry leaders are approaching them together.”

Missouri State has one of the leading hospitality programs in the Midwest. She said her degree program opened her eyes to all the hospitality industry entails.

There is a lot more to the industry than just greeting people at the front desk, cleaning rooms and cooking food,” Kelley said. “Most people don’t realize how big the hospitality industry is and how many moving parts that make up a hotel, restaurant or hospitality business. The hospitality leadership program goes into great depth preparing students to be influential players in the hospitality industry.”

Kelley graduates May 2019 and will continue her journey in the hospitality industry.