Matthew Varela, Bachelor and Master of Science in Hospitality Management (4+1), 2024

“People are a lot nicer than you think,” says Varela. “There are a lot of nice people in the world—that’s hospitality. With everything, I want to create experiences for others. It’s simple for me.”

Varela, born and raised in Hialeah, Fla., transferred to FIU after a year at another university on an academic scholarship and another for baseball. He admits that the baseball experience was not working out, and because his interest in hospitality began to pique, he took a serious look at his options.

In the following, Varela offers his thoughts on what it’s been like as an undergraduate student at FIU and shares his hopes for the future.

What is your major and when do you graduate?

I am pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management and have done both online and face to face classes. I will graduate in 2023. After I graduate with my bachelor’s degree, I’m going to continue for a year with the 4+1 program to complete my master’s degree, also in hospitality management, which I will receive in 2024.

Where do you work and what do you do?

My internship is with the Loews Coral Gables Hotel in Florida. My title is opening intern and I work with housekeeping and the front office to help stock 242 rooms with products, toiletries and supplies while I help train housekeeping on set up and presentation. I also assist other departments with their needs.

What led you to this field and why did you choose FIU?

I went to Hialeah Miami Lakes High School and when I graduated, I knew I wanted to do something in business, but when I realized that everyone was doing business, I thought I should do something more specific. I transferred to FIU after my first year at another college. I compared courses and programs and then decided that FIU had the best format and connections.

How did you hear about the internship?

I have had two internships while pursuing my undergraduate degree with FIU. One of the requirements for graduation from this major is to have a certain number of hours of practical experience like through an internship. My first internship was with Disney. I found out about it doing my own research, and during the time I was interning, my second semester at FIU, I took my classes with me and completed them online while working in Orlando.

I was a recreation host at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort. It was blast. I worked near Epcot, so I could have food from all over the world. I want to travel. It’s one of my bucket-list items. I would like to go to Europe and work overseas and hope my degree allows me to do so.

For the Loews internship I have now, I contacted my peer advisor, and she found this opportunity for me and arranged an interview with the organization.

How has this most recent internship helped you?

The Loews Hotel Coral Gables is a new property. I was able to join the team to help with the grand opening and hotel launch. I had many tasks as I assisted many departments. It required me to be proactive and take the initiative to get things done. This is where the organization skills I learned in class came in.

There are not enough words to describe what I’ve learned through being a part of this hotel’s launch. This internship was a step up in opportunity. It’s taught me to work with different people from diverse cultures. I feel like I’ll be able to connect and work with anyone.

The impact this internship has had on my future is that it sped up the learning process for me with valuable experience, in such a brief time. I’ve been able to learn and experience a lot. It’s been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to help open a luxury hotel this size in a major city.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I want to be an assistant manager somewhere, in management or handling events. I already have a couple of positions lined up after the end of this internship. One was arranged through an FIU career fair last year and the organization had my information on file. I’m extremely excited about the opportunities that have come.

What was your favorite class so far and why?

I don’t have a favorite class, per se, but I do have a favorite teacher: Katherine Martin. The way she sets up her classes, a lot of industry professionals come to speak with us and talk about their positions and careers. Being able to talk to these industry leaders about what to pursue and what to avoid is priceless. There is no value on the information gained.

Do you recommend this degree program?

Yes, one thousand percent to anyone who is proactive. If you’re proactive, you can be a leader and a source of solutions. This degree program will help you do that.