Growing up, my earliest memories of “work” weren’t in a classroom or at a summer job — they were inside the walls of a church office, where my mom served as a business executive.
After school, I would spend hours darting around her office — filing papers, packing check letters, stamping mail — finding anything to do in my attempts to make myself useful.
To anyone else, it may have looked like a child simply playing in her mother’s office out of eccentric curiosity, but to me, it felt like I was running the entire operation, the CEO even.
But I wasn’t just passing time — I was learning. The sense of organized structure, seamless processes, and coordinated tasks sparked something in me early on: a deep appreciation for the way behind-the-scenes processes create meaningful, organized experiences for others.
As a child I recognized, appreciated, and desired to take part in what I saw as beauty in business. The beauty of each tiny task conjoining with others to create value, contribute to the larger goal, and make you feel like you’re a part of something bigger than yourself.
At the age of 13, I transitioned from fantasy to actuality. I officially began working in that same office as a business assistant. That role allowed me to apply real-world skills in internal communications, office management, and event coordination. These formative experiences didn’t just teach me how to manage files or input data — they introduced me to the power of administration as both a service to my community and an avenue for learning about myself.
I realized that a successful business isn’t about numbers and efficiency; it’s about creating environments where people feel supported, connected, and valued — where I could certainly say I wasn’t a means to an end, but an end in itself.
This realization only deepened as I furthered in my academic journey. As a full-time college student working toward my Associate’s degree in Business Administration, I was heavily involved on my college campus, engaging in multiple academic honor societies and student organizations, all of which I served as an administrator/secretary or event coordinator in.
I then graduated and later moved across the country to California to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Management & Entrepreneurship, with a minor in International Business, at Santa Clara University. On paper, my academic journey may look streamlined and ambitious — but my path was just as much about exploration as it was about acceleration.
When I started university, I had no clear direction about where I wanted my business degree to take me. I understood that “business” could apply to virtually any industry, but I hadn’t yet discovered my personal connection to it. I questioned myself, “Where does my passion lie?”
This question was answered in my very first business class, taught by the former CFO of Lockheed Martin. For our final project, we were asked to research the sustainability practices of a major corporation. I chose Marriott International — the largest hotel chain in the world. What began as a research assignment quickly evolved into a moment of clarity and discovery.
I became fascinated by Marriott’s initiatives in sustainable tourism, operations, and guest experience. More importantly, I realized how many moving parts existed within the hospitality industry: tourism, guest services, programming, event coordination, operations, and global logistics. In a deja vu moment, my mind immediately returned to the thoughts of beauty in business, and from there, my desires were captured and passion was found.
Suddenly, everything I had loved about my earliest jobs — organizing, planning, creating structure for the benefit of others — came together in the concept of hospitality. It was more than just hotels and travel; it was about creating intentional, inclusive experiences that leave lasting impressions on people from all over the world. I wanted to construct life-long memories with my bare hands from scratch using the abilities and talents I was bestowed with.
From that moment forward, I immersed myself in the industry as much as I could. Because my university didn’t offer a hospitality-specific degree, I took it upon myself to seek out relevant experiences. I joined student organizations and served as an event coordinator, became the Events and Communications Student Assistant for the Global Engagement Office, and took on internships that gave me hands-on experience in communications and event planning for international and study abroad students.
Outside the classroom, my work has always reflected a commitment to social justice, advocacy, and global awareness. I’ve served in student government, residence life, and other campus organizations that taught me the empathy in prioritizing the known and unknown needs of my peers.
Each of these roles has helped me grow as a leader, a planner, a communicator, and a team player. Through my role in the Global Engagement Office, I’ve developed an even deeper appreciation for multicultural experiences — planning events for international students, faculty, and study abroad programs, focusing on finding ways to embrace our distinctions and overcome our personal biases. It’s one of the ways I’ve tied my passion for hospitality directly to my values of civic engagement, community organizing, and social impact.
What has further fueled my passion is my research background and commitment to policy and reform initiatives. Over the past three years, I’ve conducted research on mass incarceration and the prison industry. This work has grounded me in the importance of equity, representation, and systemic change — values I intend to carry with me throughout my career in hospitality. I believe hospitality isn’t just about serving — it’s about creating safe, welcoming spaces for all people, especially those who are often marginalized and targeted.
Looking forward, I’ve already been accepted to study abroad in Milan, Italy, in Spring 2026, where I’ll continue studying business and hospitality with a global lens. I view this as an opportunity to deepen my understanding of international tourism, gain exposure to new service models, and develop the cultural intelligence necessary to thrive in a global industry.
After graduation, I plan to start my career in corporate events and programming — focusing on event coordination and guest service management.
These roles will help me develop the hands-on experience necessary to lead large-scale tourism experiences and guest service teams. My ultimate goal is to influence how people experience travel, connect, and experience on an international scale. I want to be a leader who creates systems, encounters, and environments that are considerate, inclusive, and transformative.
So, what sparked my interest in the field I’m now pursuing? It wasn’t one single moment, but a collection of lived experiences — beginning in my mother’s office and growing through every leadership role, research project, and class presentation I’ve taken on since. It’s the combination of my early love for organization and service, my academic achievements, my commitment to social justice, and my global curiosity.
Hospitality, for me, is about more than events and hotels — it’s about bringing people together, building experiences that inspire, and creating systems that work not just efficiently, but compassionately. It’s about welcoming the world — and I’m ready to be a part of shaping that welcome.
Hospitality and tourism are more than economic powerhouses — they are vehicles for social justice, community organization, and human connection in a world that often prioritizes grinding and surviving over truly living.
In societies where hustle culture is glorified and rest is radical, hospitality creates intentional spaces for joy, belonging, and restoration. It allows people to step outside of routine and reconnect — with themselves, with others, and with the beauty of diverse cultures and landscapes.
At its best, the hospitality and tourism industry is deeply rooted in advocacy and social impact. It empowers communities, especially marginalized ones, by creating jobs, preserving heritage, and inviting local voices into global conversations.
Tourism offers a platform for cultural storytelling and resistance against erasure, while hospitality fosters environments of care and inclusion.
As a form of community organization, it brings together people across borders and backgrounds, nurturing empathy and shared experience.
When practiced ethically and sustainably, hospitality and tourism challenge systemic inequities by redistributing economic opportunity and celebrating cultures often left out of mainstream narratives.
It’s not just about leisure — it’s about affirming that every person deserves to thrive, to feel seen, and to enjoy the richness of life.
In a world shaped by survival, the hospitality industry dares to center humanity, celebration, and connection.
Natacia is one of six 2025-26 academic scholarship recipients, an annual award funded by SITE Foundation. You can find more details about all of this year’s recipients here. You can also help shape future industry careers by making a donation to SITE Foundation in support of scholarships and other projects expanding the power and potential of incentive travel.