Shay Baxter

“Dr. O’Neill helped me before he even knew me as a student, and along with Mr. Hoy, they were in constant contact with me, effectively communicating the expectations of the internship. They made this experience possible, for which I am grateful,” said Baxter. 

Hoy and his team have been documenting the history of limited-service hotels in the United States, and Baxter was tasked with collecting and organizing the documents from his years of research. She also had the opportunity to conduct her own research and interview Marsha Scarbrough, a lead market analyst in the development of Courtyard, ultimately documenting the history of the Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, Howard Johnson, Comfort Inn, and Hampton Inn brands. 

“After going through this study, I found that working remotely is, in some ways, a viable option for the hospitality industry,” said Baxter. “In hospitality, it is extremely important to be open to change – customers, the market, and company organization are consistently changing. Being open and willing to adapt to these new circumstances is part of the job.” 

Baxter also said that her experience working remotely taught her how to be honest with herself and understand how best to motivate her productivity. 

“Working from home took a lot of adjustment as I created my own schedule and deadlines for this project. In the beginning, I struggled with finding the time to address all my commitments, but I quickly adjusted to my new circumstance,” said Baxter, who was also taking courses during the summer semester. “It taught me about planning and perseverance, as there was no boss looking over me.” 

After completing the internship, Baxter is excited to learn more about the real estate and entrepreneurship side of the lodging industry and apply the things she has learned to future career opportunities in hotel ownership or asset management.