Undergraduate / "TO IMPROVE IS TO CHANGE; TO BE PERFECT IS TO CHANGE OFTEN" - application essay [3]

How does EHL correspond to your expectations for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to EHL.

Essay for Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne

The moment I discovered the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, my opinion about hospitality management schools was changed and so were my future plans.

Introduced to hospitality management courses through an acquaintance of mine, I was quite curious about these types of curriculum relatively new to me. Although I knew about a few hospitality programs in Italy, none of them was specifically a bachelor's degree; they were mostly diplomas, certificates, and masters. While I was surfing the net for more info, I suddenly came across the website of EHL and got a glimpse into one of the best hospitality schools in the world... that was the time I made up my mind to apply for this unique entity. Despite being already enrolled in the Business and Economics degree program at the University of Bologna, I eventually decided to give myself a second chance.

Comprehensive educational programs combining university-level academic courses with practical work experience (operational and administrative internships), internationally accredited degrees, real-life business projects, research and interaction with industry experts, a worldwide network of alumni connections make EHL stand out in a crowd of average hospitality institutions. No wonder it has been a pioneer in hospitality education since 1893, setting the standards of Swiss excellence in this customer-based sector.

However, its cultural diversity is the distinctive feature that intrigues me the most, with over 115 different nationalities on campus. Being IBC (Italian-born of Chinese descendant) has made me realize over the years what having an international outlook really means. It cannot be simply defined by how many countries you have visited or the time you have spent abroad. It is a cosmopolitan attitude to life, an open-mindedness to other cultures, the willingness to embrace and learn from people of diverse backgrounds, the hunger to be a global citizen.

Growing up in a family-owned restaurant has also played a significant role in determining the person I have become. From a young age, my parents have taught me many core values──accountability, perseverance, empathy, empowerment, adaptability, work ethic──all necessary in the hospitality industry and in the business world. While helping with the day-to-day operating activities, I acquired both soft and hard skills as waitress and barista. I was trained to handle several tasks at a time, learn and process information quickly, interact and communicate effectively, memorize customers' faces and preferences, understand their needs and expectations, remain calm under pressure, be good at time management and teamwork. On the other side, having spent most of my childhood surrounded by food has turned me into a real foodie (not to be confused with a glutton). Back in those days, I enjoyed trying out my dad's new recipes whilst giving suggestions for improvement, and actually, I still love it.

Beyond the academic offer, I consider co-curriculars to be essential for personal development, and this school is the total package with so many student committees and sport associations to get involved. During my upbringing, I was actively engaged in ballet, swimming and piano classes. In high school, I completed a course to be a FIDAL official at province-level, and coordinated a small-group tour. Thanks to such invaluable experiences, I had the possibility to broaden my horizons.

I would not be who I am today without my parents, but I believe that EHL is the right mentor for shaping who I will be tomorrow...

Looking forward to joining the EHL family, organizing memorable events (e.g. Fête Finale and Fête Universelle), and living the "Work Hard, Play Harder" lifestyle!