UT Hospitality Students Experience “Backstage Pass: Nashville Hospitality Tour”
UT Hospitality Students Experience “Backstage Pass: Nashville Hospitality Tour”
From January 14 through 16, twelve Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) students from the Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) set out on an immersive trip to Nashville, Tennessee. Themed “Backstage Pass: Nashville Hospitality Tour,” the experience provided exclusive behind-the-scenes tours, alumni connections, and panels showcasing career paths in the hospitality and tourism industry.
The trip featured visits to prominent organizations and companies including the Holiday Inn & Suites Downtown Nashville – Broadway, Music City Center, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, and LEO Events. Students also gained valuable insights from industry leaders at the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association, and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. These organizations demonstrated how they collaborate to support and strengthen the hospitality sector.
One of the highlights of the tour was the opportunity to connect with UT alumni who are thriving in their careers within the industry. Dylan Roberts ’18, General Manager at Holiday Inn & Suites Downtown Nashville – Broadway, along with Catherine La Haie ’14, Director of Sales and Marketing, allowed students to shadow their team meeting and led students on a tour of their property. The tour highlighted how the knowledge and skills gained through a hospitality degree can prepare a student for successful careers in hospitality.
At Music City Center, Charles Starks ’82, President and CEO, shared advice about his journey from UT’s hospitality program to leading one of Nashville’s premier event venues. His story inspired students to envision their own potential career trajectories, to work hard, and the power of relationships.
Sean Fisher ’11, Guest Experience & Concierge Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, facilitated access for students to explore one of the city’s most luxurious hotels. The students were able to tour the property, hear from the hotels General Manager, Sunil Narang, who has grown his career with the company over 30 years, and ask questions from a panel of key professionals within the organization.
In addition to the trip being a great opportunity for the students who attended, the department also used it as an event planning experience for sophomore hospitality student, Liz Williams. Her responsibilities as the student trip coordinator included organizing the trip agenda, designing the menu for the alumni reception, communicating logistics with the other students, assisting with event setup and breakdown, and creating a post-trip survey. Liz said of the experience, “I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and apply my knowledge in a real-world setting.”
Reflecting on the event, HTM senior coordinator Christopher Kelley remarked, “The opportunity to bring our students to Nashville to connect with alumni and see career trajectories is an absolute pleasure for me.” Kelley emphasized how these interactions help students envision their future roles in the industry.
Department head Junehee Kwon shared similar sentiments: “This event exemplified hospitality at its best, from hotel accommodations and catering to the exceptional service provided by our industry partners. What made it even more meaningful was that many of those partners were our alumni from 1982 to 2025! Experiences like this remind us how meaningful it is to be Tennessee Volunteers and members of the hospitality industry.”
The “Backstage Pass: Nashville Hospitality Tour and Alumni Reception” not only showcased career opportunities but also strengthened ties between current students and UT alumni across generations. This unique experience reaffirmed UT’s commitment to preparing students for successful careers in hospitality while celebrating its Volunteer legacy.
You can see more photos of the students and their experiences here.
