Tawanna Frazier '08

Catering and Convention Services,

The Peabody Orlando

q: What do you do?

a: Help manage the Food and Beverage, meeting space and special requests of groups at The Peabody Orlando. This includes city-wide conventions and social events. Since our $420 million expansion nearly complete, we're attracting new kinds of groups including proms.

q: What's your favorite part of the job?

a: Working with groups for special events; for instance, the players in the Citrus Bowl and Champ Bowl stayed here.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: Juggling school and work. If all goes well, I'll graduate with a Master's in Hospitality and Tourism Management from UCF in December.

q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?

a: Megan Oxman '06 who works with me at The Peabody, Nate Nakamura '06, Jennifer Reynolds '09, Holly Steinebronn '07 and Jennifer Sandler Rosenthal '06.

q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?

a: At a UCF football game. Even when I had to study, I took my books tailgating with me.

q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?

a: Being elected to serve as an officer for the Rosen College chapter of the UCF Alumni Association.

q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?

a: The classes were exactly what I needed to be successful in my job, particularly the Event Management and Hospitality Finance courses.

q: Your favorite class?

a: Catering Management with Vivian Ray. It taught me what it takes to operate under pressure. Our class catered for the Zora Neale Hurston Festival in Eatonville, a three-day outdoor event. It was like being in the Boy Scouts because we had to cook without electricity. For instance, we had planned on smoothies for part of the menu but there wasn't anywhere to hook up our machine. It taught us to be resourceful and improvise.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a:  The whole experience was perfect - maybe just a few more real-world projects like I just described.

q: A UCF memory?

a: The activities at Rosen College every Wednesday, sponsored by UCF Student Life. There would be something different every week on the Rosen campus, from making candles to Build-a-Bear.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: Crispy Spicy Beef at The Cheesecake Factory.

q: On your iPod?

a: Gospel, Pop, Rap and Rock.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: I'm afraid to sleep in the dark. I have a night light.

Gary Deel '07

Assistant Director of Security,
Rosen Shingle Creek

q: What do you do?

a: Help manage the loss prevention and emergency procedures for a 350-acre resort property with over $1 billion in assets; this includes overseeing 70 staff members, five supervisors and six managers.

q: What's your favorite part of the job?

a: Working with the people here, and making a difference in their careers whether they get promoted here or go on to another organization. I'm blessed to have a great team under me.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: My age. Some people, as human nature has it, will naturally view me as a ‘23 year-old kid’ rather than an industry professional. I'm managing people who have been leaders in this industry for 15-20 years and are two to three times my age, so the situation requires an enormous amount of tact and humility. 

q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?

a: Jen Sandler Rosenthal '06 who works here at Shingle Creek and my fiancé, Ilyssa Backer '04 who works at Rosen Centre.

q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?

a: I'm currently in law school four nights a week, plus finishing my master's degree at Rosen. I teach Introduction to Hospitality at Valencia College. Also, I'm involved in Kung Fu.

q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?

a: Receiving a full-ride scholarship to Florida A & M law school. It's an honor.

q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?

a: Learning the fundamentals of the hospitality industry. Basically, I'm running the security for a small city of 1500 people which include all kinds of positions: engineers, golf course maintenance people, waitresses, chemical specialists, chefs, finance professionals, spa technicians, etc....there are so many job categories and I understand their functions because of my degree. In a career setting, I would have to work 3-4 lifetimes in this business to know how everyone works together, but learned this overview quickly - completing my bachelor's degree in just three years total.

q:How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: I finished my course work for the master's in a year and change, but the thesis process is more complicated than was advertised, and has cost me several additional semesters of time and tuition above and beyond what was anticipated. I have enjoyed working with Dr. Denver Severt, though, who is the head of my thesis committee.

q: A UCF memory?

a: ‘The Squirrel Song’ as written, composed and performed by Dr. Denver Severt haha.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: Sushi at Oishi on the corner of I-Drive and Central Florida Pkwy. Hands down…the best!

q: On your iPod?

a: Frank Sinatra...chairman of the board!! And All Time Low when I need to stay awake or work out, etc.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: I’ll be the CEO of one of the world’s largest hotel companies within 15 years….but that’s top secret…don’t tell anyone! ;)