Medna Latulipe, a Seychellois who has excelled academically in her hotel management course in Ireland, yesterday paid a courtesy call on President James Michel at State House.
Ms Latulipe has emerged as the best academic student in Bachelor of Business Studies in International Hotel Management (BBS) at the Shannon College of Hotel Management in Ireland.
The 29-year-old had previously won the prestigious President’s Cup for being the most outstanding Advanced Diploma in Hotel Management (ADHM) graduate of 2014.
“I am very proud of you and the outstanding results you have received at Shannon College. You have made us all very proud and your example will inspire other students, to show them what is possible when you study hard. The tourism industry needs young professionals like yourself to develop a higher standard of service and excellence. I know that we can count on young people like yourself to contribute to the development of the industry,” President Michel told Ms Latulipe during their meeting.
Ms Latulipe spoke to the President about her pride at her educational achievements and her hope for her professional progress. She also expressed her gratitude at the opportunity young Seychellois are being awarded to pursue their tertiary education in a career of their choice.
The President and Ms Latulipe further talked about the current opportunities for young graduates in hotel management.
President Michel encouraged her in her endeavour and reiterated the government’s support in easing the integration of Seychellois in management positions in the tourism industry.
Talking to the press after meeting the president yesterday, Ms Latulipe said during her time in Ireland she spent nine months learning her modules, then a year in a city hotel where she gathered great experiences, then the remaining time she spent in Seychelles.
Discussions with President Michel focused on how the ministry can help the graduates from Shannon College, like herself, get key positions in hotel management in hotels here.
“We do not expect to be put in managerial positions straightaway, but we need to be given the opportunity to prove ourselves,” she said.
Motivation and determination being the key to her success, Ms Latulipe said she was not expecting to receive the award.
“There were over 90 students in my class of different nationalities and I come from a small island so I was not expecting such an accomplishment but I’m very happy to have been able to make my family, my country and myself proud,” she said.
She has been back for three weeks now and she is taking her time to relax and soaking up the sunshine she has missed so much during her time in Ireland but she is thinking about applying to a few hotels down in the south.
Being interested in the human resource and training department, she plans to serve her country to help develop and motivate other Seychellois youths to move forward.
Ms Latulipe also thanked the government for giving them the opportunity to develop their knowledge and expertise for a career in the hospitality industry.
She was accompanied by both the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange and principal of the Seychelles Tourism Academy, Flavien Joubert and understudy principal Diana Quatre who is also the director of the Advanced Diploma programme.
Source : Seychelles NATION