Nicolas Calvo, M.S. in Hospitality Management: Real Estate Development, 2023

Nicolas Calvo has a lot of ideas. When he completed his undergraduate degree in hospitality administration in 2019, he knew that hospitality was the area he wanted to study, so he decided to continue his education with a Master of Science in Hospitality Management: Real Estate Development.

Calvo was part of the Marriott Tianjin China undergraduate dual degree program. He credits this program for giving him the drive and leadership skills needed to be ab entrepreneur in South Florida. With two bootstrap businesses starting up, Calvo leans on the knowledge he gained through his program.  

In the following interview, Calvo discusses the relationship between his career goals and the degree that will help him achieve them. 

When do you graduate? 

I graduate with my second FIU degree, my master’s degree, in the spring of 2023. I’ve completed both online and in-person courses. 

Where do you work now? What do you do? 

I am a recruitment coordinator for the 2023 edition of The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®). In addition, I founded a company, NCL Hospitality, LLC. When we first started, a year ago, we provided telemarketing solutions for our clients but now we do corporate business travel for medium to large companies. Lastly, I am also starting a corporation (Davinci Corp.) with a business partner to purchase land and develop real estate for short-term rentals in South Florida. My degree program has helped prepare me for these ventures. 

What has been your favorite class and why? 

I had the opportunity to do the Marriott Tianjin Program my senior year of undergrad, where I took a senior seminar course. This was more of a leadership class that taught me how to be a good leader, different styles of leadership, which I find extremely important for someone aspiring to a manager role in the industry. In terms of my favorite master's class, asset management is the answer. I learned more about the behind the scenes of a hotel negotiation, the numbers, strategies, and specific terms that enhance my industry vocabulary. 

What immediately applicable skills have you learned? 

Leadership, time management, critical thinking, teamwork, adaptability.  

How does your degree help you in your work or how do you see it helping you in the future? 

I have very clear career goals and my degree is preparing me with the skills and knowledge required to one day own a hotel brand. It also helps me to network with industry professionals and gives me competitive advantage in the job market. 

Why did you decide to study this area and choose this program? 

Since I earned my undergraduate degree in hospitality management, I wanted to pursue a graduate degree with a specialization that would help me prepare for my future career goals 

But after talking to my family and having their support throughout this journey, I realized that the main reason to do my master's wasn’t for a company to notice it, or to get paid more, but for me to learn what I need for my future goals. 

What did you learn that you won’t forget? 

Leadership strategies, strategic thinking, and how hotel negotiations are done. 

Would you recommend this program to other students? 

Absolutely! As long as you have a passion for it, and you like hotels and businesses as much as I do, this master’s degree will definitely give you the tools to enter that small niche of hospitality real estate development.