Widener’s Emmanuel Rupert is the Recipient of the 2012 Student of the Year Award

Chester, Pa. – Emmanuel Rupert, of Owings Mills, MD, received the Students of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Tourism & Lodging Association (PLTA) during its Annual Spirit of Hospitality Awards Reception and Dinner on April 23, 2012. These prestigious awards recognize exceptional performance, commitment and achievements in the hospitality and tourism industry throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Student of the Year Award is given to a student in an associate or bachelor degree program, who has two or more years of hospitality industry experience, a GPA of 3.2 or higher, and who demonstrates outstanding skills and abilities in the hospitality field. Nominees are judged on leadership, teamwork, and respect towards others; dedicated focus on customer service; a commitment to continuous quality improvement in the classroom and on the job; a professional image and positive attitude, as well as an overall commitment to the spirit of hospitality.

This year’s recipient of the Student of the Year is Emmanuel Rupert, who recently graduated from the School of Hospitality Management at Widener University in Chester, Pa. Rupert has maintained a high grade point average while participating on the university’s varsity track team, serving as an officer of the Widener Chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality as well as Black Men United. He also works with students as a Resident Assistant in the campus resident halls. 

In addition to his studies and extracurricular activities, Rupert has worked in the hospitality industry while attending Widener, serving as a housekeeping supervisor for the Ramada Inn and human resources coordinator for the Hilton Inn at Penn. He has been recognized with several scholarships including the Educational Foundation of AHLA and the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association.