The weeks leading up to semester’s
end see a mounting excitement in the Buffalo State Hospitality & Tourism department. The hour is getting closer
for, not only graduation, but also the annual Ambassador Awards, celebrating
individuals within the Buffalo area who have a positive impact on our industry. This year’s ceremony, the 20th
anniversary of the awards, will take place on Wednesday, April 23, 2014.
Recipients of the Hospitality
Ambassador Award are recognized for not only their contributions to the
hospitality and tourism field, but also for their community involvement at
large. Every award recipient has a
Buffalo State connection, and occasionally is even a Buffalo State alumnus. Each year, from two to four individuals or
groups are honored with a reception at the Burchfield Penney Museum and an
awards wine dinner at Campus House.
Although this year’s Ambassador
Award nominee list is yet to be finalized, event planners are already hard at
work, brainstorming and organizing to make 2014 both memorable and successful. In addition to the awards given to the
Hospitality Ambassadors, students are also recognized at the ceremony. Students nearing graduation are celebrated,
as well as those receiving scholarships available through the department.
The planning of the event is the
culmination of the hospitality training for many of the upper-level students in
the program. The Campus House student
staff also serves as planning committee members -- working together to design
the event from its inception, including the year’s theme, colors, and
decorations. Past themes for the awards
have reflected concepts important to each year’s graduating class. -- Going
Green, Cultural Bridges, New Alliances, and Celebration of the Arts in recent
years.
The student planners assist in menu
development for the event, researching not only perspective dishes certain to
impress, but also appropriate wines to match the chosen dishes. They use their full range of knowledge
acquired through their class experiences to put together an unforgettable night
for the recipients and guests. The menu
will reflect the range of talents of the hospitality students, incorporating
skills in meat carving, seafood shucking, hors d’oeuvres arrangement, and
platter presentation.
Additionally, students take charge
of organizational logistic details and manage the roles and responsibilities of
event staff. Students plan blueprints
and layouts for seating and service. They
learn how to budget for projected expenses and account for costs in order to
prepare a profit and loss statement. The
planners decide how best to incorporate the vision into promotion of the
event. Students work together with a
common goal in mind, employing every teamwork technique at their disposal to
ensure the night goes off without a hitch.
Although many events at CampusHouse are focused on club members, the annual Hospitality Ambassador Awards are
open to the larger community.
Invitations and save-the-dates are sent out to club members, but anyone
interested in attending the awards and dinner may purchase a ticket by
contacting Campus House directly.
We hope to see you at this year’s
Hospitality Ambassador Awards, where you will experience world-class service.
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