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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: LINDSEY PATERSON

By Alyssa Beatton (RPTA ’16), Co-Editor

Recreation, Parks & Tourism Administration (RPTA) alumna Lindsey Paterson ('14) is completing the Voyage Program, a yearlong hotel management training internship at Marriott International’s Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel. After landing a job at the Cliff’s Resort in Shell Beach her second year at Cal Poly, Paterson decided she wanted to work in the hospitality industry and switched her major from graphic communication to RPTA.

For the past five months, Paterson has been the assistant front desk manager, supervising employees, handling guest issues, and supporting the entire hotel team. The Voyage Program is multifaceted to ensure interns learn every aspect of running a hotel. During the first part of the program, Paterson attended leadership training classes, the first of which was a SPIRIT leadership class, an introductory course she described as similar to RPTA 257: Leadership and Diverse Groups.

Interning at the Marriott keeps Paterson busy with everyday duties and training staff for new software updates. When she first started in the Voyage Program, she was put in charge of a new aspect of the business, Mobile Check-In. This project required her to write a training guide, train employees, and serve as the ambassador between the Marriott property where she worked and Marriott’s corporate offices. Although programs such as this require a lot of work, Paterson notes that they “give me a leadership role and force me to figure out solutions.”

As the program continues, Paterson will attend a Foundations of Leadership course, providing her with the complete history of Marriott International and additional leadership tools. She will also complete online coursework to learn the responsibilities of each department. The final part of the program is an executive speaker series where she will attend online sessions to learn about personal brands, internal company image, innovation, and many other aspects of hotel management.

Paterson’s favorite part of her internship has been the social gatherings with other Voyagers from all properties in the Los Angeles market. These socials bring the interns together to brainstorm new ideas for the hotel properties and share tips and experiences on how to succeed. She has been fortunate to meet many general managers, executives and area directors within the Marriott company. These socials are special to her, because “not many people get this opportunity,” and she loves to “be able to pick the brains and try to impress someone who could be her future boss one day.”

Although the hours are long and work can be grueling, Paterson loves every second of her internship. “My goal for the next 10 years is to move every couple of years to different properties and gain experience in various management and executive leadership roles,” she said. She hopes to be a general manager by the time she is 35. She says she “loves the Marriott and what the company stands for,” and she cannot wait to grow within the company.

The RPTA department wishes Paterson the best of luck in her future endeavors!

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