Essays

DELANO RIBEIRO Schiller University Scholar 2009
Progress report on my learning at Schiller International University
At the beginning of the spring 2009 semester, I was told about the scholarships being awarded to Caribbean students from the CHTAEF and I was determined to qualify for one due to my financial status, the rising fees for my tuition at Schiller International University and the downturn in the economy. In March of 2009 I was also prompted by a fellow Trinidadian about the scholarships, while I was in the process of negotiating with the CHTAEF. When this was finalized, I applied and although there were many steps to be taken before my final application could be sent I was able to complete it on time and mail it before the deadline. In May 2009 I was ecstatic when I received the fantastic news that I was chosen as one of the CHTAEF/Schiller International scholarship winners. This brought a greater sense of confidence to me and it also allowed me to be focused more on my studies and less on my dire financial situation. Spring semester I completed my courses with four A’s and my group won the class prize for being the most innovative and creative group on our marketing project for Publix.

This was just the beginning; I was able to interact with many students from all across the globe. Some of my good friends are from Taiwan, China, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, Bulgaria, and South Korea just to name a few countries. Schiller is really an international school which makes it a very positive learning environment because most of these countries that were mentioned have been predicted to be the next top nations for growth and business and being able to get first hand information and experiences on interacting with students and their cultures has given me an edge in terms of knowing likes and dislikes, their different foods, their religions, their approach to business and ethics, in fact experiencing their culture while having a fun time with them.

At present I am in the second to last month before graduating with my MBA in International Hospitality and Tourism. The Schiller system has changed for the fall 2009 semester where- by monthly classes are being offered where students are able to focus on one course per month. I completed my first course in September, it was comprehensive business management seminar, and again I got an A in the class with a grade of 97%. I am presently doing multinational business management for the month of October and will end with managerial accounting in November 2009 with my oral exam.

I have learnt many things so far in my course. Before I started my course I worked at Hilton Trinidad in the Food and Beverage department managing the restaurant, in-room dining, coffee shop and mini bar service. At that time I mostly practiced my technical skills due to the fact that the job was more hands on in nature. Now I have learned so many interpersonal techniques from courses like organizational behavior, human resource management and international marketing that I am able to understand why some persons act the way they do. For example, their cultural back grounds which will give me an edge in motivating and protecting the greatest asset to a company - the human resources. This program has also given me greater leader ship skills which I believe will make me a great asset to any hospitality and tourism organization in the near future and beyond.

One of my goals is to return to my country Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate learning at the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI) where I was also a graduate in Hotel Operations, to further enhance and add value to the program. My reason for wanting to facilitate learning was cultivated by my interaction with the International Business Dean Dr. Carlos Tasso. I was his teacher-assistant for spring 2009 semester and he opened my eyes and mind to developing and sharing knowledge to further make more and more persons skilled in the industry.

Presently I have a cumulative GPA of 3.98 with two more courses to complete. I am very proud of my efforts and thankful for the financial help received to ensure I complete this program with as little stress as possible.

Thank you to the CHTAEF and Schiller.



Written by
Delano Ribeiro

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