Ferris State University students gain valuable work experience through internships. Internships also can confirm or redirect career decision-making, provide marketability, develop people skills and enhance classroom learning. Many academic programs require one, but the experience is encouraged regardless to provide students with a better understanding of what will be expected of them in the workplace.
Many students are participating in internships this summer. Meet:
Landon McDaid
He is: a senior from Alma, studying Hospitality Management (College of Business) with a minor in Food and Beverage.
His Internship: is with the new AC Hotel in Grand Rapids, part of the Amway Hotel Corporation holdings.
What Landon is Learning/How He is Making a Difference: “I am learning what it takes to open a hotel and iron out the details of post-open operations. I feel like I am making a difference by showing my passion for the industry and giving my guests a crafted experience, targeted for them. When asked for recommendations, I don’t tell them what I enjoy. I ask them what they enjoy and have enjoyed in the past.”
How Did Ferris Help Landon Get His Internship: “The university held some resume workshops with people in the industry. I was able to talk with AHC (Amway Hotel Corporation) managers and share my passion with them. They called me the next day and offered the position.”
Advice to other Students Seeking Internships: “Always keep an eye open and talk to as many people as possible. Wear your passions on your sleeve and hope that someone will recognize your greatness and potential.”
Other Activities on Campus: “I was vice president and president of RHA, the Residence Hall Association, my sophomore year. I then shied away from organizations and worked as a teaching assistant in cooking classes, served as a tour guide for the Card Wildlife Education Center, and was a chef, off-campus, at the Raven Brewing and BBQ.”
Ferris Core Value Landon Relates to: Collaboration: “If I am put in a group or with an individual, I figure out a way to not only make
it work. I make it successful. I have always been able to step into a leadership role
without overstepping my boundaries. To me, the definition of a leader is not someone
that takes charge or control of a situation. It is someone that can collaborate with
a group and find the strengths others have and put those people in the position where
they can be successful.”