Haub School Faculty Spotlight

March, 2024

Dr. Sara Ghezzi (she/her)

Assistant Professor of Practice with a joint appointment in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and the College of Business

Hometown: Miami, FL

 

 

 

 

After Auburn, I started teaching full-time at the University of Southern Maine (USM). I was there from 2015 to 2020. That program was brand new as well, so they brought me in for the hospitality management side. It was the only program in the state, Maine has a lot of universities but none had hospitality programs. With USM, I started doing more work with sustainability and environmentally focused operations. During the pandemic, I was looking at other opportunities which led me to Wyoming. The University of Wyoming position drew me in because it's really unique that we have a program that offers hospitality courses for an outdoor recreation degree.”

 

What are your primary objectives now?

“My primary goal is to see the business hospitality concentration grow. We're focusing a lot on tourism, as well, but my main objective is to get students ready to go into the workforce. When you look at tourism and hospitality as a whole, workforce needs are the number one goal right now for a lot of companies, not just in Wyoming. But being here is awesome because we can have a big impact on the industry in the state by getting well-rounded students in some of these positions. Tourism is the number two economic driver in the state, but in some areas, we're seeing tourism take that number one spot. It's going to become a more important factor as we move forward.

On the other side is the service piece, I want every graduate from the ORTM program to come away with this idea of high-quality customer service. No matter what area they're going into, if they want to open up their own business, if they want to work at the Four Seasons in Jackson, or work at a dude ranch, they have this idea of what quality customer service entails.”

 

How has the Haub School supported your professional journey?

“I would say our faculty group, everyone has been a mentor. We all want everyone to succeed. When you read on the website how interdisciplinary we are, that really rings true. Hospitality sometimes doesn't fit exactly into Haub School. We all work together in some pretty unique ways that I don't think are happening at any other departments on campus, or any other school. We have a very supportive group. We want to see everyone succeed and help each other out, whether it be ideas, research, presentation tips, etc.” 

 

What are your favorite parts of a Haub School?

“I would say our service learning components and our public-facing events. Like the Wild and Working Lands Film Festival, I think that offers a lot of unique opportunities to meet with state public stakeholders and give them a chance to get to know us and the students. If I have a student who's interested in event planning, I can give them an event that they can help out on and get some experience with. I also enjoy our guest speakers. The Sustainability Coalition always has great events for students too. I love those types of events where it's for the community, but also it's great to meet everyone connected with the Haub School even if I don’t see them in classes.”

 

What impact do you believe you have had on the university community or your students that you've interacted with?

“I've come in with this background of hospitality management that we're trying to grow. With the university, I hope I'm doing a good job getting the word out and recruiting students, and growing that side of the ORTM degree and the minor in the College of Business. With the joint appointment, I have an opportunity to make a little bit of a larger impact. 

For students, I hope that I give them a real-world outlook so that when they do graduate, they know what to expect in whatever job they choose. I want them to enjoy the classes, have fun, and do a lot of these practical real-world projects, but hoping that they get their dream job and that they are set up for success in whatever career path they want to take. Some of my students who aren’t involved with ORTM directly have stayed in touch with me and asked for advice. Whether it be interior design students or Haubies, I love it when they stay in touch and let me know what they're doing. It makes me think that I'm doing a good job.”

 

Do you have any inspiration or advice?

“Focus on the path that you want to take but expect some turns in that path. Just like I thought I would be a chef or a caterer and here I am! Take life's turns as they come and if one plan doesn’t work out, don't think of it as a failure, but another turn in the path.”

 

Do you have any fun facts about yourself?

“I played professional softball in Italy for Fironi Forli for a year and we won the European Championship. The coach had his own vineyard so I got to drink world-class Italian wine. I also have a dog named Oscar, we just celebrated his sixteenth birthday!”

 

“I am a Haubie because I love Wyoming.”

 

Final thoughts?

“I hope I come across that I'm very passionate about what I teach. I really pride myself on my teaching. I'm definitely more teacher-student-focused than research, but that fits my job description perfectly.”

 

Sara's story has been edited for length and clarity. All image credits go to Sara.