Unlocking Business Career Opportunities: Chicago Industry Tour 2024

At Siba, we consider our Business Administration degree to be one of the most versatile programs we offer. It opens up opportunities in many areas of the business world, including marketing, customer relations, management, accounting, and human resources, to name a few. This “generalist” degree opens up many paths that students can pursue upon graduation.

Several business students who recently joined Department Head, Ratesha Nicholson, on her annual “Industry Tour” in Chicago, got an inside look at possible career paths in the Hospitality and Event Planning industry. For Nicholson, the goal was to broaden her students’ perspective: “This experience was created to show how adaptable a degree in Business Administration can be. I encourage my students to think outside the box and learn more about the broad array of opportunities that exist in our field.”

With its strategic location, diverse economy, and booming tech center, the Windy City is the third-largest metropolitan economy in the U.S – making it the perfect business hub for a class trip. While there this year, Nicholson and her students met with hospitality professionals at the Intercontinental Hotel Chicago on the Magnificent Mile and the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Sudent Anisha Cheeks expressed that the trip gave her an opportunity to network as well as discover what doors her Business degree might open. “I loved traveling around the city and meeting our hosts at the different hotels. I definitely feel it helped me better understand some new career opportunities because I learned how many roles you can play within one organization.”

This year’s tour focused on opportunities for growth in the Travel and Hospitality industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in meeting/convention/event planning are projected to grow 18% from 2022 to 2032. These opportunities exist within corporate, nonprofit, government, and private sectors. The possibilities presented within this area of the business world were not lost on Cheeks, who found her meeting with Sarah Miller, Senior Sales Manager at the Hyatt Regency Chicago to be especially memorable and valuable. Miller (pictured below) shared her own inspiring career trajectory, “My favorite part was meeting Sarah. She really helped me realize how many ways I could apply my degree and to never settle!”

Nicholson was pleased with the outcome and feedback from of this year’s tour, and the knowledge her students gained from the experience, “The level of expertise the professionals shared was invaluable and they spoke very highly of the students who attended.” Students in Siba’s Business Administration B.S. program have the option to participate in this weekend-long field trip every year with Nicholson while earning credit toward their degree. Siba offers two degrees in Business Administration: an 18-month Associate of Applied Science degree and a Bachelor of Science degree that can be earned in just 3 years. For more information on what these multifaceted program include, check us out at Siba.edu.

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