Tag: Travel and Tourism

Students are often intrigued by parks, recreation and tourism management because of its diverse curriculum – and graduate with confidence in their skills for a variety of careers. Recently, we caught up with Grace Lenning, a 2020 graduate from the Clemson University Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, to hear about what she’s been up to since finishing her degree. 

Let’s get to know Grace! 

Q: What was your concentration within the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management? 

A: Tourism and Event Management (formerly, Travel and Tourism) 

Q: Where did you work during your required internship?

A: I interned with Mill Community Ministries where I planned events and managed fundraising. After my required summer internship, I stayed with the organization for almost a year. 

Q: What has your career path looked like post-graduation?

A: Graduating at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was very hard. I bounced around a lot in the beginning but was determined not to let COVID slow my momentum. I worked at the Inn at Patrick Square, sold insurance and managed events and marketing for a bar and restaurant before starting my job with TTi. 

Q: What is your current job?

A: I work for a company called Techtronic Industries in Charlotte, NC as a product coordinator for Hoover floor care. In my role, I participate in every aspect of new product launches – from development and engineering to marketing – and help maintain the quality and marketability of legacy products. 

Q: What are your job responsibilities? 

A: I work with engineers on both development and quality issues. I work with our brand and marketing teams to produce materials for our online retailers, in-store displays and to make sure products are showcased in a way that communicates their value to consumers. I also work with our finance and sales teams to track sales, pricing and costs of products. I wear a lot of hats in this role!

Q: How did your degree in PRTM prepare you for this position?

A: PRTM taught me how to think outside the box. I learned how experience economy can impact the consumer shopping experience and what that means for competitive marketing strategies in any given industry. This knowledge is invaluable in my current role, and I credit PRTM for preparing me to succeed through a diverse learning experience. 

Q: What advice would you give PRTM undergraduates today?

A: Life is wild and weird. Take challenges head on and take opportunities as they come. 

Q: Any final thoughts?

A: PRTM is one of the best, most versatile majors – enjoy it and GO TIGERS!

By Sam Brooks, communications intern

A wedding is a special day for people all over the world. The event represents the beginning of a new adventure that will define them for the rest of their life. This was the case for Clemson University Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM) alumna Aysia Cooper; it just happened to be her sister’s wedding.

Born in Greer, South Carolina, Aysia has always had big dreams and found herself at Greer Charter High School, which gave her an opportunity to begin her college education early. After high school, she planned on becoming a dental hygienist and began her college career at Greenville Tech. Everything changed however when her sister became engaged and she was tasked with planning the event.

Whether it was picking out flowers, food or a dance playlist, Aysia immersed herself in the organization and planning process. While creating the perfect day for her sister, she found a hidden gift within herself. Aysia Cooper was made for organizing, planning, leadership and creating the perfect environment for others to enjoy. Once Cooper discovered her newfound passion she realized that that dental school was not the place for her. She turned her attention to find a place that could help develop the personal gifts that had been inside her all along. 

When deciding which field to study, she realized she needed more than just a hospitality degree. She needed a program that could fully develop all of her gifts and give her the opportunity to experience new things. Aysia found her home in the PRTM department.

“I like the chaos of everything, I like logistics, I like being in charge, handling all the moving parts and figuring out how we are all going to do an event together,” said Cooper. “Being in that chaos and taking control of a situation is what initially drew me to the program.”

She found that within the PRTM department, she could develop her event management skills, while also getting marketing experience that would help her in the professional world. 

“Clemson offers a PRTM concentration that is more than tourism and management, which is different from what a lot of other schools offer,” Cooper said. “We learned about so many different concentrations within the major that helped us understand different fields.”

Aysia recalls her classes with Bill Norman, Ph.D., a professor that is still a major influence in her life today. 

“Dr. Norman does a great job of connecting his classes to real life. He genuinely cares about you as a person,” said Cooper. “Every time I need a recommendation I give him a call and Dr. Norman still checks in on me. You can tell he really wants his students to succeed.”

Aysia’s PRTM learning also helped her put her natural abilities and knowledge gained in the classroom to the test. 

“Through one of my classes we got to plan and work the Student Affairs Gala for department donors,” Aysia said. “We planned the decoration, menu, and everything in between.”

Aysia said that her time working with Student Affairs played a significant role in her professional development.

“Student Affairs is something that is extra special to me. I worked with them for so long and it was such an important part of my Clemson experience.”

After graduating in the spring of 2020, Aysia was set to begin her dream internship with the City of Greenville in their special events department. However Aysia, like many former and current students across the country, had her internship altered due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A once paid internship became unpaid and her hours were cut down severely. 

Aysia had a choice to make. She could either make the most out of what was left of her opportunity or try to find something else. Aysia chose to maximize the opportunity she had been given. She bet on herself and the abilities the Clemson PRTM department had helped her develop. After the internship with the City of Greenville, she was able to land another internship with an architecture firm doing product marketing. This opportunity led to a full-time job with the architecture firm that continued to develop her professional skills. Aysia recently accepted a new position at Clemson University as an Event Coordinator. 

Aysia’s early success came as no surprise to her favorite professor, Bill Norman. 

“When I met Aysia she had a 4.0 GPA. When Aysia graduated she had a 4.0 GPA,” said Dr. Norman. “As her professor and advisor, I challenged her in the classroom and the profession. She surpassed my expectations at every turn. Aysia represents the best of PRTM and will do a great job as an Event Coordinator at Clemson University.”

The future for Aysia Cooper is bright and sure to be filled with exciting opportunities. She dreams of doing destination marketing for the City of Greenville full-time one day. In the meantime, she continues to believe in herself, work hard and trust the lessons she learned during her time at Clemson University.