-- receive a first-class education and perfect her industry skills. Two years later, as she nears the end of her Hotel and Business Administration programme, she believes the experience surpassed her expectations. "I would recommend it to anyone,'' the 19-year-old said. "Try it for a year, get the experience and see what it's like; even students planning to go away to college.'' Soon to receive an Associate degree in Hospitality Management, Miss Ward said the knowledge she acquired will enable her to immediately enter the workforce. And, as a result of two years of diligent study, her rewards include a management trainee position at Cambridge Beaches and a $2,000 scholarship from Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Realising these accomplishments, she said, marked the first steps towards satisfying a desire which began during the three years she worked at Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort. "I really enjoyed it,'' she said. "I'd been away to school -- in Montreal -- but instead of continuing there, since the Bermuda College has one of the best reputations in this field, I thought I would stay here and see if it was what I really wanted to do and I've enjoyed it. I'm glad I made that choice. "Sadly, I am the only Bermudian graduate from my programme. It's good for me opportunity wise, but quite disheartening to know that there isn't much interest in Bermuda's number one industry. I wish more of my friends would give our tourism and the hotel industry serious consideration.'' Miss Ward, who just finished a nine-week internship at Cambridge Beaches, will continue to work there as a management trainee for the remainder of this year. And upon graduation from Bermuda College in June of 1997, she will begin full-time employment with the West end cottage colony.

"Between the first and second year you have to do a 12-week internship, which most students usually do at Stonington Hotel but which I did at Cambridge Beaches,'' she explained. "I went through the kitchen, the dining room, all the departments you can think of, and then Cambridge offered me a full-time job after I graduate. So in January of 1998, I'm to go to Milan, Italy, for three months training and come back and assume some sort of management position, I hope. "But meanwhile I'm now working there part-time during the night, I assist the resident manager on specific projects on weekends and I'm studying at the College full-time. It's tough. But working in the industry is tough. Your life is not your own but I would recommend it to anyone.'' The first recipient of the Bermuda College scholarship, launched to heighten industry awareness, Miss Ward said it was presented to her in September. The scholarship is only offered to students who have attained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the fields of either Hospitality Management or Business Administration, and recipients are expected to work with an MPI professional member in their selected field and to take part in activities organised by the Mid Atlantic Chapter. According to Starla Williams, president of the Mid Atlantic Chapter:"The positive attitude and drive of students such as Heather are integral to the success of (MPI). "The (Chapter) find it a great shame that more students are not taking advantage of what is offered through the College (or) considering the hospitality industry as a career choice.'' Miss Ward said she was "proud and delighted to have been chosen as the first recipient of the scholarship. "As a result, I've been involved with many MPI meetings, trade shows, international members' committees and have made a lot of contacts within the industry. I'm looking forward to giving something back to not only the Mid Atlantic Chapter, but also to Bermuda.'' `I recommend it', says future hotelier On entering the Bermuda College, Heather Ward was determined to do two things -- receive a first-class education and perfect her industry skills. Two years later, as she nears the end of her Hotel and Business Administration programme, she believes the experience surpassed her expectations. "I would recommend it to anyone,'' the 19-year-old said. "Try it for a year, get the experience and see what it's like; even students planning to go away to college.'' Soon to receive an Associate degree in Hospitality Management, Miss Ward said the knowledge she acquired will enable her to immediately enter the workforce. And, as a result of two years of diligent study, her rewards include a management trainee position at Cambridge Beaches and a $2,000 scholarship from Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Realising these accomplishments, she said, marked the first steps towards satisfying a desire which began during the three years she worked at Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort. "I really enjoyed it,'' she said. "I'd been away to school -- in Montreal -- but instead of continuing there, since the Bermuda College has one of the best reputations in this field, I thought I would stay here and see if it was what I really wanted to do and I've enjoyed it. I'm glad I made that choice. "Sadly, I am the only Bermudian graduate from my programme. It's good for me opportunity wise, but quite disheartening to know that there isn't much interest in Bermuda's number one industry. I wish more of my friends would give our tourism and the hotel industry serious consideration.'' Miss Ward, who just finished a nine-week internship at Cambridge Beaches, will continue to work there as a management trainee for the remainder of this year. And upon graduation from Bermuda College in June of 1997, she will begin full-time employment with the West end cottage colony.

"Between the first and second year (of the programme), you have to do a 12-week internship, which most students usually do at Stonington Hotel but which I did at Cambridge Beaches,'' she explained. "I went through the kitchen, the dining room, all the departments you can think of, and then Cambridge offered me a full-time job after I graduate. So in January of 1998, I'm to go to Milan, Italy, for three months training and come back and assume some sort of management position, I hope. "But meanwhile I'm now working there part-time during the night, I assist the resident manager on specific projects on weekends and I'm studying at the College full-time. It's tough.

But working in the industry is tough. Your life is not your own but I would recommend it to anyone.'' The first recipient of the Bermuda College scholarship which was launched to heighten industry awareness, Miss Ward said it was presented to her in September. The scholarship is only offered to students who have attained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the fields of either Hospitality Management or Business Administration, and recipients are expected to work with an MPI professional member in their selected field and to take part in activities organised by the Mid Atlantic Chapter. Miss Ward said she was "proud and delighted to have been chosen as the first recipient of the scholarship''. "As a result, I have been involved with many MPI meetings, trade shows, international members' committees and have made a lot of contacts within the industry,'' she said. "I am looking forward to giving something back not only to the Mid Atlantic Chapter, but also to Bermuda.'' PHOTO Heather Ward MINI SUPPLEMENT SUP