Hospitality Welcome Barbeque

Entry Details

The new student hospitality BBQ was designed by our hospitality department at Virginia Tech. The event's purpose is a warm and inviting event to welcome incoming students to the hospitality program. The event is all about socializing and meeting new people so that college is less intimidating for new students. Our CMAA executive board took the opportunity to engage with new students, and introduce them to what our chapter is about. By combining a casual barbeque setting with meaningful conversations, we were able to connect with potential new members before their first day in the classroom. The BBQ served as an effective platform to introduce CMAA to new students in their academic journey. By participating in a department-wide event, our chapter demonstrated its alignment with the broader goals of our hospitality program. The executive board members gained valuable experience in representing the chapter and articulating its mission, which strengthened their leadership and communication skills. Introducing CMAA to students before they began classes allowed them to see the value of involvement in professional organizations, encouraging early participation and membership.

Implementation

The BBQ was hosted by the Virginia Tech hospitality department and our executive board was asked to speak to new students and introduce them to our club. The event was promoted by the hospitality department, and our club reposted the promotions on our social media pages, so our returning members could join us. During the BBQ, our members and executive board actively socialized with incoming students and shared insights about our activities. We used the casual setting to make students feel at ease and answer any questions new students might have. After the event, we followed up with attendees via email and invited them to our first chapter meeting. Members appreciated the opportunity to speak highly about our chapter and welcome new students to campus. Incoming students brought up how they met us at the BBQ at our first meeting of the semester.