Chapter News

Marisa Federico Scholarship Recipient

Dear PCMA Members,

I would like to thank the PCMA New England Board of Directors for awarding me the 2021 Marisa Federico Memorial Scholarship! I am so honored and grateful to be the recipient of this award. I also would like to thank the New England chapter for the opportunity to attend the 2021 Annual Meeting; it was a pleasure to network with various members and a privilege to be recognized. I am confident that my education from Endicott College will give me the tools to succeed in life. This generous scholarship will go directly toward expenses for my final semester of college and my family and I are so appreciative.

I am incredibly passionate about all things hospitality and have loved every moment spent furthering my education. In addition to all of the hospitality courses that are contributing to my degree, I am a member of Eta Sigma Delta, the International Hospitality Management Honor Society, as well as Endicott’s Event Management Organization and the Campus Activities Board. I have had events-related internships with NJ Wedding Pros, The Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey, and Rafanelli Events, all of which have confirmed that the event industry is where I belong. I am particularly passionate about special events, due to the fact that I will have the opportunity to contribute to people’s happiness through an event, creating a moment they will remember forever. The idea of bringing joy to others through my work will give me constant fulfillment throughout this career. As a “people person,” I am at my best when I am interacting with others. There has never been a doubt in my mind that a career in the hospitality industry, where I can spend each day connecting with new people, is the perfect fit for me.

At Endicott College, I am a Hospitality Management major with a concentration in Event Management. The best decision I have made in my life thus far has been choosing to pursue my Bachelor’s degree at Endicott! Between the professors, hospitality courses, and the school’s required three internships, I feel so prepared and excited to pursue an events-related career in the Boston area upon graduation in May. For my final semester at Endicott, I am particularly looking forward to completing my senior thesis, where I am researching the motivations of nonprofit organizations to use special events as a means of fundraising in order to understand how they can maximize revenue.

I have enjoyed the opportunities that PCMA has provided for students to immerse themselves in current hospitality trends and look forward to continuing my involvement with the New England chapter. Thank you so much again for your generosity; I am so happy to accept the 2021 Marisa Federico Memorial Scholarship from such an incredible association!

Sincerely,
Megan Dingelstedt

Laura WenzelMarisa Federico Scholarship Recipient