Last spring, six College of the Ozarks hospitality seniors moderated panel discussions with local businesses including Big Cedar and Silver Dollar City where they explored topics such as managing employees and interviewing for jobs.

Last spring, six College of the Ozarks hospitality seniors moderated panel discussions with local businesses including Big Cedar and Silver Dollar City where they explored topics such as managing employees and interviewing for jobs.

Students took the initiative to form two groups and organize the panel discussions. They meticulously prepared overviews of the semester's topics, which they presented to the panel as a foundation for the discussion. They also crafted insightful questions and detailed biographies, ensuring everyone was informed before the discussions.

On April 25, students Logan Baker, Elise Merillat, and Courtney Nash, all hospitality majors led the first panels. They talked with Melissa Delong, human resources manager of Big Cedar, and John Zajac, human resources manager of Silver Dollar City. Students asked questions about dealing with employees, how to handle difficult managers and co-workers, and practical ways to stand out when interviewing for jobs in the hospitality industry. Tom Healey, general manager at The Keeter Center; Mollie Crawford, director of sales and marketing for The Keeter Center; and Chef Robert Stricklin, executive chef at The Keeter Center, all sat in to observe the students and listen to the guest speakers.

On April 30, hospitality majors David Gonzalez, Linus Groom, and Elizabeth Silver led the second panel, engaging in a thought-provoking discussion with Tracy Obenchain Human Resource Business partner at the Branson Convention Center, and Caleb Williams manager at Vintage Paris Coffee. They drew on knowledge from semester's readings, including Harvard Business Review 10 Must Reads: On Leadership, The Leadership Challenge, and Gallup’s Strength Based Leadership book, to ask insightful questions.

Dr. Lamae Koogler serves as professor of hospitality management.

“This was an excellent opportunity for the students to learn more about career options in the community and get direct insights into what the hospitality industry looks like upon graduation for these students,” Koogler said. “It also helped them gain insight into how to be a good leader and how to help support and guide their staff. They were professional, had a clear direction for how the discussion would go, and demonstrated leadership. Once the class time started, it was up to them to fill the time, have well-written questions, and ensure everyone participated and understood what was happening. They exceeded my expectations and made me proud.”