Posted on: November 8, 2017
By: Allen Wallace, wallacej7@mailbox.sc.edu, 803-777-5667
University of South Carolina Student Alison Lindsey has been recognized by the South Carolina Travel and Tourism Coalition for her exemplary academic achievement related to hospitality and tourism in South Carolina. Nominated by her faculty, Lindsey was one of nine college students from across the state to receive a 2017 Tourism Student Award at a ceremony at the Lace House in Columbia on October 30, 2017.
Originally from Colchester, Connecticut, Lindsey is a senior in UofSC’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and is majoring in tourism management. As part of her award, she received a plaque and a $1,500 scholarship provided through the Fred Brinkman Memorial Fund, which is funded through a silent auction held annually at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism & Travel.
“To me, this award really validates that I have chosen the right career path and that others can see how passionate I am about the field,” said Lindsey. “I’ve worked very hard over these past four years to learn as much as I can and get as much experience as I can, and this award shows that all that work has paid off.”
“I love travel and I wanted to be part of such a fun and happy industry.”
— Alison Lindsey, tourism management
Having the opportunity to enjoy vacation experiences growing up, Lindsey knew she wanted to study hospitality and tourism since she was in high school.
“I love travel and I wanted to be part of such a fun and happy industry. I wanted to give back and be able to be a part of making other people's vacations as meaningful and memorable as mine had been,” she said. “I ended up choosing USC because it offered everything I was looking for in a school: a strong hospitality program, farther away from home, a great scholarship, and an out of classroom program called Capstone that I believed set it apart from some of the other schools I applied too.”
Lindsey says she’s loved every second at USC and is a member of Gamecock Connections, a volunteer admissions group that helps prospective students determine if Carolina is a good fit for them.
After graduation, she plans to continue advancing her management skills and eventually attain her dream job of working as a resort general manager.
“The best part of my job is seeing students shine and be recognized for their great work and passion,” said Drew Martin, Chair of UofSC’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. “We are dedicated to preparing the next generation of hospitality and tourism industry leaders. Students like Alison suggest our future is bright.”