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Insider Interviews



Six stories, six different paths. Be inspired.

About 6,000 alumni have graduated from Hilton College, and many of them have made indelible marks on the hospitality industry. They serve as CEOs and presidents of international and national companies, develop hotel properties worldwide, open world-class restaurants, serve as GMs of five-star hotels and prestigious country clubs, manage casinos and event companies, start their own businesses, and give back to the industry by teaching the hospitality leaders of tomorrow. Some are just getting started in the hospitality world, while others have built stellar careers spanning decades. Each one has a story—a path he or she traveled to find success—and it all started here, with a degree from Hilton College.

Here are the stories of six recent graduates who are realizing cherished goals, discovering their passions and moving their way up in the industry.
  • Meet Matthew Riggs who, thanks to the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Leadership Development Program and a can-do attitude, is creating his own adventure as the food & beverage training manager for a first-of-its-kind property in Baku, Azerbaijan.
  • Meet Emily Paez who, just two years after graduation, is ascending the management ranks with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts with a major promotion to outlets manager at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson.
  • Meet Ryan Soroka who, after graduating with a joint MS/MBA from Hilton College and the Bauer College of Business, co-founded two booming food & beverage businesses in Houston—the Eatsie Boys food truck and café, and the 8th Wonder Brewery.
  • Meet Damian Hopf who, less than a year after graduation, was named general manager of Pappas Restaurants' newest concept restaurant, Yia Yia Mary's Pappas Greek Kitchen—making him the youngest GM in the company's history.
  • Meet Jeneé Dagenhart who, because of a connection she made at the College's Career Fair, found a surprising career path and is now developing tie-in promotions for Miller Light and the Dallas Cowboys in preparation for Super Bowl XLV in Texas Stadium.
  • Meet Pawan Kapoor, who came to the U.S. from India to pursue a joint MS/MBA degree from Hilton College and Bauer College of Business and now works in asset management and acquisitions for Westmont Hospitality, one of the largest privately held hospitality companies in the world.
Let their stories inspire your own!