Alex Balint, class of 2010, is the Executive Meeting Manager for DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Downtown. The former Hospitality Management major first got her foot in the door with Hilton in 2010 as a Sales/Marketing intern – a position she discovered on the Rosen College Hospitality Jobs e-mail. Today she is responsible for selling guest rooms and meeting space to corporate markets, planning small to midsize events and handling wedding blocks.
Balint is appreciative of all that Rosen College does to assist students in landing their dream jobs and shares, “Without the Listserv [Hospitality Jobs e-mail], I would most likely not be where I am today. My internship eventually grew and evolved into a full-time great paying position shortly after, so thank you!”
Today, she is reaching out to Rosen College and UCF’s Office of Experiential Learning to recruit high quality students for positions within her company. Balint shares, “It’s like the old saying ‘shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’ll land among the stars.’ It’s very competitive out there, no doubt, but as long as you have ambition to achieve your dreams, anything is possible.”
She encourages students to start small and do the work that no one else wants to. “Once you prove yourself,” Balint says, “doors will open up and your hard work will pay off. If I can do it, anyone can!”
The Experiential Learning curriculum requires Rosen students to gain professional experience in their field of study. Students earn internship credit by completing coursework online and by working for three semesters prior to graduation in paid, progressively more responsible, career-related positions.
To learn more about UCF’s Office of Experiential Learning, internship opportunities and the Rosen College Listserv, please visit https://hospitality.ucf.edu/students/current-students/internships/.