Student Blog

And We're Moving Along!

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:43:04 -0500

Hello, everyone!

It's been quite some time since my last entry, but everyone around here is just as busy on Monteagle Ridge.

Niagara University's student chapter of the CMAA (Club Managers Association of America) recently took our annual trip to the World Conference on Club Management in San Diego, Calif. The 20 of us made the over 3,000-mile journey to San Diego with one goal in mind - to be named Student Chapter of the Year for four years in a row! And once again, our student chapter was able to reach that goal, as being the No. 1 student chapter in the entire CMAA!

Niagara University has opened so many doors for me, not only as a student, but as a leader. In the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management alone:

I've attended two major conferences with the CMAA, both the student conference in Atlanta in November, and the world conference in San Diego in February.
I will be working abroad in Lake Como, Italy, for 2 1/2 months.

The opportunities here are endless. In NUSGA (Niagara University Student Government Association), we're working on big things not only within our class, but within the association as a whole.

Tonight, CPB (Campus Programming Board) is sponsoring a trip to the Sabres game against the Winnipeg Jets. In March, they are also sponsoring a trip to Toronto to see the New York Knicks!

Stay tuned for more updates to come!

- Brandon

That Feeling of Success

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:12:35 -0400

Hello, all! After a crazy week of midterms, it feels great to have completed all the assignments, tests and projects that came with it. If it wasn't for my amazing friends and the comic relief they provided, it would not have been possible to get through.

On November 1, I leave with NU CMAA to go to the student conference on club management in Atlanta, Ga. We will spend three days in Atlanta learning and talking about the country club industry as well as what other student chapters from around the country are up to. With that being said later in the year we will be heading to San Diego, Calif., for the world conference.

It's that time of year again, OPEN HOUSE! Working in the admissions office, this is by far the busiest week of the year. We are having over 300 prospective students come to campus to tour and gather information on Niagara. If you see me on campus Saturday with a large group of families, feel free to say hi!

As Family Weekend comes to a close, it was great to have my family up here this weekend for the NUSGA Family Weekend Dinner on Sunday! Not only did it include dinner, but our families got to sit in on our meeting to see what we really do for the students of Niagara within the organization.

Sunday marked 213 days until 11 others and I start our journey to Lake Como, Italy. Lake Como is located an hour outside of Milan and about 20 minutes from Switzerland. We will be working in four and five star hotels around the lake as well as traveling through Italy and Europe. As we leave for Italy in May, we have 10 students coming here to study at Niagara from Italy. Every Monday, we meet with the Italian students to better learn the language and culture. If you see them around, feel free to say ciao!

Alla prossima (Until next time),
Brandon

I'm Home!

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:58:46 -0400

I’m back, and ready for another wonderful fun-filled year here at Niagara!

It’s hard to believe that at this time last year I was just starting my freshman year here at Niagara. The time has flown by and, before I know it, I’ll be graduating - weird thought!

I've had quite the experience this summer being an orientation leader helping out with summer orientation and new student orientation. I've gotten to know many of the new freshmen on campus and am thoroughly excited to get to know them better.

So over my worked-filled summer, I worked at the Country Club of Buffalo on the golf course, in the clubhouse during big, extravagant weddings, and at swim meets and tennis matches. It was an amazing experience and I can’t wait until my next club internship.

For CMAA, we are going to Atlanta in November for the annual student conference where students like myself that are interested in club management get together to discuss the ever changing field of private clubs and the future of clubs as the times progress. Then, in February, we are heading to sunny San Diego for the World Conference on Club Management!

Although there were many travels this summer, I will be attending two different conferences this year and then in April it’s off to Italy for 11 weeks! Working in Lake Como is going to be the experience of a lifetime and I can’t wait to go!

This year is going to be filled with many fun filled adventures, trips, and memories for me and I hope that you are just as excited as I am.

With that being said, if anyone has anything relating to Niagara that they would like to know, do not hesitate to ask. This is what we are here for and hope that everyone’s year starts off right.

Ci Sentiamo Presto (Talk to you soon),

Brandon

The End to an Amazing Start

Thu, 03 May 2012 16:18:44 -0400

Well where do I begin with this last blog post…

My first year here at Niagara is over already and I feel like I just got to campus. It seems like just the other day I was saying goodbye to my parents in the parking lot and I was going on my own little way, slowly creating my own little home here on campus.

Attending school at Niagara has forever changed my life. There are so many people I have met, clubs I never thought I would participate in, and events I never thought I could ever help plan. But Niagara has given me the chance to prove myself.

My new friends and family have given me the continuous support that any friend, cousin, nephew, brother or son could ever ask for. They have pushed me to give everything that I have to these new experiences that I have had here at Niagara.
NUSGA: I have been given this awesome opportunity in NUSGA (Niagara University Student Government Association) as a senator for the class of 2015. Now I have been given an even bigger opportunity as I will be the president of the class of 2015. I can’t wait to start planning next year and making it even better than the already-successful year we've had this year.
CMAA: The Club Managers Association of America has given me an awesome opportunity, by helping me get my first internship already as a freshmen. I'll be working at the Country Club of Buffalo, a platinum designated club, putting it among the top 100 country clubs in the U.S.
Admissions: That Admissions Office has given me endless opportunities as a tour guide and as the student coordinator of the Niagara Nights program here on campus. I get to meet many new students and families and welcome them with open arms.

Tips for the class of 2016:

Never give anything less than your best. You never know when an opportunity could arise that could affect your life one way or another.
Keep your connections, no matter who they are with. I have met many people that I have a feeling will help one way or another in the future.
Don’t ever be afraid to meet new people. By meeting new people, I have received opportunities that I may have never been able to get.
I know many of you have heard this, BUT don’t ever be afraid to take the path less traveled.
While here at Niagara, explore things you may not have when you were in high school. This is a fresh start for many, and this is that one chance you may need to make a difference in someone’s life.
Study hard, but don’t forget to have fun when you're not. This campus is full of exciting events and clubs that many wish they could have.

I cannot imagine my freshman year of college going any better than it has this past year. As a new student on this beautiful, welcoming campus, one could not hope for your freshman year to go any smoother.

Next year can only be more adventurous, life altering and memorable. That is going to be very difficult but I can only imagine the things that we are going to be planning and taking part in.

Well, here is to many more successful years at Niagara. Happy travels!

FIN,

Brandon Sears

Back in the Swing of Things

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:56:59 -0400

Happy spring!

A few weeks ago, me and 15 other NU CMAA members took the hike down to New Orleans, La., for the Club Manager Association of America World Conference. We met other students just like us from over 50 other colleges. As always, the association announces the student chapter of the year during this conference, and once again we received this wonderful honor. This being our third straight year as chapter of the year gives us the motivation to keep improving our student chapter to make it better than the last. We have done so much to be recognized, and we hope to continue this next year as we head to the west coast, to San Diego, Calif., for next year's conference.

While I was in New Orleans for the conference, I had the chance to explore the French Quarter and see many things that I may have never been able to. We went to places like Bourbon St., which is obviously known for hosting Mardi Gras, Riverwalk, the cruise port in New Orleans, and other favorite local restaurants.

New Orleans has so much to see and I would definitely put this city on your bucket lst.

Shortly after returning from New Orleans, we had our spring break. I got to spend some much needed time with my family and friends. I also got to see Bill Nye the Science Guy at SUNY Brockport.

I don't know about you but this wonderful weather that we are having up here makes me like this university more and more every day.

Until the next post, as Bill Nye once said, "The more you find out about the world, the more opportunities there are to laugh at it.”

Always find those opportunities to laugh.

Back to NU We Go!

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:13:28 -0500

Well, after a long, relaxing and much needed winter break, we all headed back to the Niagara campus. I could not have asked for a better winter break; I got to see my friends and family, some of who I have not seen in quite some time. It was great to see everyone.

In 17 short days, myself and 13 other members of Niagara University's student chapter of the CMAA (Club Managers Association of America) will be heading to New Orleans, Louisiana, for the World Conference for Country Club Management. We will be spending seven days in New Orleans, where we get to tour many different types of clubs (country clubs, yacht clubs, etc.). Shortly after, we return to NU on Feb. 29 for two days of classes and then another week off for spring break (it couldn't have been planned any better!). :)

There are still times when I am walking around this campus that I just stop and look around, and I still can't believe that I am going here. So many opportunities have presented themselves to me over the few short months that I have been here.

The admissions department alone has offered me so many things, it really is unbelievable. I was also offered the position of student director of Niagara Nights, a student overnight program for high school seniors who have been accepted to Niagara University. Students have the chance to spend the night on campus with a student of the same or similar major, shadow classes with the students and check out any of the facilities that we have on campus.

If you are interested please register at http://www.niagara.edu/niagara-nights/view/2010-10-28

(Come on click it, you know you want to!)

That Feeling of Accomplishment

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:22:01 -0500

Well it's that time of year again - Christmas!

Everyone would always say that these two weeks are the craziest. I did not believe them, thinking, really how bad can it be? I take back every word that I ever said about Finals Week. When upperclassmen were telling me I was going to get no sleep, I thought they were just kidding. I had no idea how bad it is, and I'm only a freshman! I have never been quite as stressed as I was these past two weeks; the weekend cannot come soon enough. My friends have definitely been a big help over the past three weeks with relieving the stress from finals.

I honestly cannot believe that it is already the end of my first semester of college. It feels just like yesterday that I was loading up the car to come and move into Niagara. I am already halfway done with my first year of college...unreal.

Last weekend, I went with the HTA (Hospitality & Tourism Association) to Toronto. We went downtown, had the chance to explore the city and, then later in the night, we all went to Medieval Times for the dinner/show they have. It was a great time, and I would love to do it again.

Christmas is definitely in the air here at Niagara. We have many Christmas trees decorated with lights around campus, the manger is set outside of the Gallagher Center and wreaths and lights appear on most of the buildings. I love this time of the year, it usually brings out the best in people and I cannot wait to spend this holiday season at home with my family.

Here on campus, we have a club called CMAA (Club Managers Association of America) and, in February, we are going to New Orleans. This trip could not come soon enough. I am really looking forward to this trip because I have never been to New Orleans. I can't wait to go.

I should probably go back to studying for those finals. Have a great holiday season, and happy New Year!

That Feeling of Home

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:33:08 -0400

Well where to begin...

My name is Brandon and I am a hospitality and tourism management major from Depew, N.Y. Starting off as a freshman here at Niagara has been one of the best experiences. My new "way of life" that I have learned on campus has given me the feeling that I really do belong here. After high school, I thought that nothing would compare to what I had done my senior year of high school, which included running multiple clubs and activities. But I was wrong and can't believe some of the opportunities that I have already received.

I have made many new friends from all walks of life, some of who I can see being friends with for the rest of my life. My new friends have given me that feeling that this is going to be a great four years. Some of my friends are from as far away as Australia and Germany, and as close as the town over from me. Who would've thought that some of these awesome people were closer to me that I thought?

For some, the adjustment to college life was harder than for others, but for me it couldn't have been any easier. Both my life at home and here seem to work together quite well. I get to go home whenever I need to and, if I can't make it home, my home comes to me (my family).

Speaking of family, Family Weekend was this past weekend and it couldn't have been more fun. Living so close to this area, you would think that we would've done everything there is to be done. However, you thought wrong. The Cave of the Winds (pictured) was awesome! I've been living here for 18 years and I have never been on it. There were many activities planned throughout the weekend and it couldn't have been planned any better!

I have joined so many clubs on campus that I honestly don't know how I balance all of the meetings. But, one that I can see playing a big part in is CMAA (Club Managers Association of America). Country Club management is my new-found interest and I love it. It's basically hospitality at a whole new level, something that I can see myself doing for many years to come.

I hope that for those who see this page that it will give you the same feeling of the campus that I got when I viewed the website and toured the campus. I hope that you will come back for more.