As the last semester drew to a close, Samantha Lauver-Marion sat down with four of AIHM’s graduating students as they completed their Bachelor of Business Administration in Global Hospitality Management.
What were there favourite moments from their time at AIHM? How do they plan to benefit from their AIHM educations moving forward? What advice to they have for new students? Find out below.
Samantha spoke with four AIHM seniors:
- Khemkhaeng “Andrew” Rohrbach, who joined AIHM after completing a high school diploma in Chinese literature at Satit Kaset’s International Programme
- Suphaphit “Ham” Phanratanamongkol, who joined AIHM with a science education from a high school in the United Kingdom
- Siraphop “Pop” Hiranun, a graduate of Bangkok Christian College
- Apichai “Peter” Chaicharoen, another graduate of Bangkok Christian College and a former national-level swimmer representing Thailand
Together, they talk about why they chose AIHM for their degree studies, the memories they made during their time here and what they’re taking away from AIHM education.
What motivated you to choose AIHM?
Andrew: For me, there were two primary factors. 1. My parents. 2. The passion inside myself. My parents knew about AIHM and its relationship to Minor Hotels. They trusted AIHM and considered it an amazing organisation and a great stepping-stone to a management career in the hospitality industry. I had parents in the hospitality industry, and I also discovered a personal passion for this industry.
Ham: Growing up, I was always curious about people working in hotels and fascinated by how they could make people feel welcome, how it was a career where you make people feel a human connection. I wanted to explore this. I chose AIHM in particular because of the Minor brand.
Peter: I chose AIHM because it offers an education that’s fully carried out in English, and it offers an international university environment. Plus, I have passion for marketing. When I was exploring options, I realised that AIHM would allow me to explore this passion. The first time I met some of the lecturers at AIHM, I found them to be really nice. This interaction really convinced me to study at AIHM. I felt inspired by them and they stoked my passions to study at this school.
Pop: Personally, I chose AIHM because of the international faculty. I wanted to learn in an international environment where the academic approach has an international mindset. I wanted to learn from this international perspective.
Could you share a memorable project or experience from your time at AIHM?
Ham: An experience that stands out in my mind is our first group project at AIHM. We didn’t really know each other yet. While working on this project, we started to connect with each other. We worked strategically with each other’s strengths and weaknesses. In the end, I was really proud of the outcome and the ways in which we collaborated with each other to achieve our goal. This first project was really eye-opening and was a moment when I discovered what the AIHM education would be like.
Andrew: A stand-out experience I’d like to talk about is from this semester—launching the Student Committee. We launched the Committee with the goal of making AIHM a united community, of bringing together all the cohorts. We’ve created events, clubs and activities, and we’ve established our own social media platform.
Peter: For me, it would be my two internship experiences. First, I interned in Marketing & Sales at Capella Bangkok Hotel. I met new people. I got to know colleagues in the industry. Then, I interned in Pastry at Sindhorn Kempinski. I had the opportunity to interact a lot with guests as well as with other departments such as the Front Office and F&B department. I also improved my time management skills during this second internship.
Pop: It’s hard for me to pick a single experience because all of our experiences were memorable, inside and outside the classroom. We always helped each other out. When someone was struggling with something, we’d help them to progress. My time at AIHM has been so memorable because of how tight-knit we became and how we learned to work collaboratively.
How did AIHM’s blend of practical and theoretical learning prepare you for the real world?
Peter: My first internship at Capella, when I worked in Marketing and Sales, is a great example of how the practical learning prepared me for the real world. During my time at Capella, I gained experience working with luxury brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. I had the opportunity to experience a collaborative event with a fashion show and catwalk. This internship experience helped me understand how to adapt service approaches to different kinds of customers.
When I interned in Pastry at Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel, I learned how success in this role in a hotel environment is very different from cooking and baking at home. For example, in additional to the culinary skills, you have to interact with guests, with other departments. Communications skills are a vital part of the job. It was challenging and a really good experience.
Also, the Practical Arts semester allowed us to explore all the departments and experience them and see which might interest us in the future.
Ham: I’d like to talk about my own internship at Capella Bangkok. It wasn’t a walk in the park. There were challenges like you could expect in any organisation. The real benefit to me was learning to deal with the challenges in a real working environment. I had the responsibility and opportunity to handle problem solving hands-on. In the internships, you learn how to accept that you’ve made a mistake and to learn from it, to use it as a learning experience.
Andrew: Looking back to the Practical Arts programme early in our studies, that’s where I discovered my interest in the Front Office department. Our Practical Arts lecturers helped to bridge theory and practice. For example, we learned the theory behind the Opera system and then gained hands-on practical experience using Opera in a real front office environment. The Practical Arts semester was very valuable preparation for our internships.
Pop: Faculty give a massive emphasis on real-world applicability. That said, every teacher at AIHM is different in their perspective and characteristics. Because of these differences, the faculty and my learning experiences at AIHM have impacted me from many angles—my personal life, work, etc.
At AIHM, we also take part in two internships. I completed one internship in Bangkok and one in the Maldives. My internship in the Maldives was the best experience of my entire life. It was my greatest journey. The things I’d learned in the Practical Arts and in theory in coursework were really a strong foundation and benefitted my ability to dive into my internships. Both impacted me to be more ready to work in real life. I want to say thank you to the lecturers for preparing me and readying me for the real-life industry.
In what ways have you grown professionally and personally at AIHM?
Andrew: Before I joined AIHM, I wasn’t a leader. I was more of a follower. I didn’t shine in the spotlight. I was more of a ‘back-of-the-class’ person. I hadn’t discovered my spark yet. I hadn’t discovered my real strengths. But when I joined AIHM and my passion for the hospitality industry grew, that’s when my leadership mindset began to form. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved at AIHM. AIHM builds leaders for the real world.
Ham: I remember the first time we delivered presentations and we were all shaking. It was one of our first public speaking opportunities. We didn’t know what to expect. Over time, we’ve developed a lot more confidence. We’re more aware of our capabilities and potential. We’ve become more aware of ourselves and more confident. We’ve developed critical thinking skills. We’re more aware of what’s around us. That’s where I see the most growth during my time at AIHM.
Peter: One of the areas I’ve seen the most growth is in my self-management skills and time management skills. In our first year, we had a lot of assignments—essays, reports, presentations. It was a lot of things to manage. Personally, I found it very stressful, but by communicating with my fellow students and with the lecturers, I was able to develop strategies for effective time management and self-management of priorities and handling multiple tasks and responsibilities and deadlines. I know this will be extremely valuable moving forward as I manage projects and teams in the real world.
What are your plans after graduation? How has AIHM prepared you for your future endeavours?
Andrew: I’m currently looking into management training programmes in various hospitality companies. My key goal in the hospitality industry is to eventually attain a role as a hotel GM. In about 10 years, I can see myself opening my own business, possibly transitioning from hotels into import-export.
Peter: I’d like to take my career internationally. Perhaps, I’ll work in Marketing or in F&B. I’m thinking about future opportunities in London or the USA. Within the next 10 years, I’d like to travel around the world.
Ham: I want to apply what we have learned at AIHM to a real-world environment in hospitality. What motivates me about this industry is the opportunity to leave a long-lasting impact on people’s lives. I also want to pursue a Master’s degree in the years ahead.
Pop: I’m still exploring the possibilities. Overall, I want to be someone that AIHM will be proud of.
If you could give one piece of advice to new students, what would it be?
Andrew: Think about what your passion is. Identify that. Don’t just listen to other people. Follow your heart. Your passion will lead you to success. Your passion will help you overcome obstacles. The passion, that drive, is what will make you successful.
Ham: Enhance the opportunities you have. Build your connections. While you’re at AIHM, take advantage of all the opportunities you have for networking. Some opportunities come and go and are only once in a lifetime. Take advantage of the opportunities that come into your life. You’ll have a lot of them at AIHM.
Peter: Don’t be rushed. Be confident in yourself and your abilities. Ask lecturers when you don’t know something; they’ll always support you. Take time to develop yourself.
Pop: During your time at AIHM, you’ll learn your strengths and weaknesses. You will learn a lot about yourself. My advice: be yourself. Follow your dreams. You will be different from others. That’s normal. Keep following your dreams, and you’ll be proud of yourself.
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