Sonia Vazquez-Quintero, a hospitality management major with a minor in global entrepreneurship, has been an active participant in 51ԹϺ’s chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) all four years. As president of the organization for 2019-20, she led the group to several honors at the national NSMH conference. This year she was also the recipient the Nevada Beverage Anheuser Busch Scholarship and the Wells Fargo Global Scholarship.
Prior to the shutdown of the Las Vegas Strip, Vazquez-Quintero had been working full time at Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas. She recently accepted an offer to be part of Four Seasons’ manager-in-training program in Hawaii.
Biggest Accomplishment
“My biggest achievement at 51ԹϺ has been the personal and professional growth I have experienced. I have been able to challenge myself to overcome every difficult or uncomfortable situation I faced.”
A Balancing Act
“The process of earning your degree while simultaneously growing up and experiencing life teaches you a lot. I would say that one of the most important qualities I have developed is that art of time management. Knowing how to manage my time helped me with balancing my schedule between school, work, and leadership. I also found that planning and setting your daily goals is beneficial when facing a busy day/week.”
Getting Involved
“As a commuter student, meeting people can be difficult if you don't involve yourself in campus activities outside of class time. NSMH allowed me to meet students that were motivated and competitive like myself. It also greatly influenced my professional development because I was able to practice my networking skills, which allowed me to gain confidence.
Unique Learning Opportunity
“If someone is considering attending the Harrah College of Hospitality, I would definitely say that you can't go wrong. If you do your part and work hard, the opportunities to grow and learn are there. Being minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip is great because it provides a unique learning experience and access to industry leaders who are very supportive of the students.”
Future Plans
“My plans following graduation have been altered due to COVID-19. My plans before COVID-19 were to join Four Seasons Maui as part of their management-in-training program. Due to the uncertainty with COVID-19, my plans are currently on hold. What I can say is that throughout this challenging time I have been able to maintain a positive outlook and I am looking forward to graduating and beginning the next chapter of my life.”
What Her Professor Said
Hospitality professor Finley Cotrone, who taught Vazquez-Quintero in her Resorts course in the fall 2019 semester: “She's shown incredible skill in her ability to balance all the demands of school, leadership, and work. She added tremendous value to the team and is just a really wonderful human being.”
