The following are responses from Crystal Seman, a 2010 graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Where do you work and what’s your current position?

I’m the Sales Administrator for Tourism Winnipeg, a division of Economic Development Winnipeg.

What are three career steps you’ve taken since graduating from Red River College?

1. The skill set from experience and the hands-on education I received from RRC allowed me to excel by advancing in my first job after graduation to a newly created position that encompassed social media and online reputation management. I quickly began to manage the hotel’s online reputation through channels such as TripAdvisor and other online booking and review sites. My work in this area created a voice for my employer to be able to respond to and manage online reviews, increasing our online hotel rating across many platforms and applications.
   Completed three month Hotel Revenue Management Certificate program through eCornell (Cornell University’s online platform).
2. I was selected to be part of the brand’s national revenue management team for Catering Services, reporting on and assisting the Director of Conference Services and the Catering team to meet and exceed revenue goals while consistently placing top five properties in the company for forecast accuracy.
3. Moving to Tourism Winnipeg, I am able to put my experience and education to work again as I support our Sales Team in attracting large conventions and special events to the city. Having the hospitality and revenue management experience I am a strong asset to Economic Development Winnipeg  in supporting not only our sales and management teams, but also our local members and partners.

What’s a highlight of your professional life after graduation?

Working at our city’s DMO and having the ability to advocate for and liaison with the local tourism industry. Working with previous employers and my own industry mentors together to promote our city and our tourism assets to clients around the world.

How did your time at Red River College help you achieve your goals?

I started my education at RRC as a mature student. The level of professional education, mentorship, and support far exceeded my high expectations. The instructors are truly experts in their field, they all have real-life experience on top of their teaching backgrounds. Many were also graduates of the very same program, which shows the success of the program has not only been long standing, but the passion and life-long dedication to learning has brought these industry professionals back to Red River College.

Hospitality started as an interest for me and Red River College gave me the foundation to grow from. Hospitality has become a true passion of mine and I attribute that to the strong start I received at Red River College. Now working at our city’s destination marketing organization, I could not think of a more fitting position for me to use my skills, education, and experience to play a crucial part in promoting our city to increase visitation, develop long-term tourism strategies, and support our local tourism industry.