Oh how life comes full circle. I had a recent request from the Global Affairs office to organize a tour to Washington D.C. for a group of international students. Flashbacks of Study Tours came flooding back. I worked to plan a great itinerary for the group and thought I would send them on their merry way. That did not go as planned.
I'm Going to Rider University
You know you work for California Study Tours when...
I will sleep in the garden! - A Study Tours Story
A Blast at Hershey Park - A Study Tours Story
What makes a quality staff
This post is a follow-up to an earlier post I sent out this week. Previously, in my post "You don't have to like it, but you do have to do it" I talked about how the staff I was managing failed to complete a task I had given them. It was a learning experience for both of us.
"You don't have to like it, but you do have to do it!"
Sitting on suitcases - Another Study Tours story
It was just over 6 years ago that I packed up after my first summer running my own site in Los Angeles. It has been a fun and exhausting summer. I was responsible to get half of my staff to the airport that morning, we had a very early flight to catch! I made the arrangements, but nothing prepared me for what would happen that morning.
TBT: From "New York, New York", to "California Girls"
How about a little Throwback Thursday #tbt? I worked for Study Tours at Rider University from 2007 to 2011. It was an amazing 5 years. One of the best opportunities to interact with the students was to put on a Talent Show. We recruited students to show off their talents through song and dance. We had some pretty impressive talents, but nothing topped our staff talents!
Disco Nights
Celebrating July 4th
When I worked at Rider University for Study Tours we would get this email on the 4th of July from our supervisor. The email would be really heartwarming about how he felt to be an American. The essence would include that what we were doing on a day-to-day basis for our international students was not only important, but that we were so incredibly lucky to be charged with such a task. Our job included, above everything else, to provide the students with a truly American experience. He would talk about our freedoms and pride that we have for our country. It really was inspirational and students that were with us on July 4th would get to experience a special celebration.
Becoming a Leader
I'm just a week or so away from embarking on a new journey as President of the NC Society of Government Meeting Professionals. I am both excited and nervous to take on this challenge. I think that's a normal feeling.
We have a retreat planned for July 9 and I'm in charge of it. *Cue scared face* I've never run a retreat, so I actually have no idea what to expect, but I have lots of ideas to discuss with the incoming board. Although I am terrified at the thought of taking on something new, leadership in general is not a new thing to me. Here is my advice on leadership.
Take Your Breath Away... Literally
In the summer of 2010 I had a student named Carlo with the Rider University Study Tours program in Los Angeles. Carlo had the privilege of staying 3 whole weeks in the United States, but this was not the original plan. He was on tour with us scheduled for just two weeks, but after 5 days of sightseeing the unexpected happened.
The Things We Do To Please Our Clients
What?... I am Spider-Man
There are times in events that you just have to laugh.
My job with Study Tours put the safety of the students as the top priority. Of course, this priority was swiftly followed by a myriad of requests to maximize the students' stay. Although we would do all we could to ensure the safety of the students, sometimes the students didn't always think with their heads - most of the time it was with their egos, or just not at all.