Graduating Class of 2024
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Julianna Alvarado
Julianna graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor's Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. During her time at Niagara, Julianna gained experience volunteering at a non-profit organization and working at The National Guard Training Center Billeting Facility. This Facility provided her with valuable hotel experience by providing hotel-style rooms to members of the National Guard. This August, she will intern at Walt Disney World in Florida. After her internship, she hopes to pursue a career in the Hospitality industry.
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Karly Alvarado
Karly graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s in Hotel & Restaurant Management. She was previously an employee at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, NJ, where she worked in a Billeting Facility and provided hotel-style rooms. She has developed skills in hospitality, such as customer service, organization, and hotel sales & management. Karly is a lifelong learner and is pursuing an internship at Disney, where she can enhance her skills with her passion for what she does. Upon her upcoming graduation, she learned to exceed customer expectations while maintaining professionalism and enthusiasm in her field of study.
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Emma Anderson
Emma graduated from The College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management with a concentration in Event and Meeting Management and a minor in Marketing. Emma upholds the position of Event Coordinator with American Niagara Hospitality, working at The Sheraton in downtown Niagara Falls, NY. Emma has had many internships in the hospitality industry throughout her college years.
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Jack Armstrong
Jack is from just north of Toronto, Ontario. After completing his advanced diploma from Niagara College, he attended Niagara University to obtain his bachelor's degree. During his time at Niagara University, he was part of the SMA club and the Marketing club. Jack was selected to represent our college at Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix, AZ, and Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, NV. After graduation, Jack hopes to pursue a career in sports sales and marketing. Jack will graduate in Summer 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management.
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Megan Axelson
Megan graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management. She grew up with a passion for staying active and healthy and pushes herself to be the greatest athlete, student and collegue. Megan hopes to pursue a Master of Science in Applied Nutrition Dietetics Focus.
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Asher Barnes
Asher Barnes graduated in Spring 2024 with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management and a minor in Marketing. His completion of an Honors Thesis in the field of sports showcases his commitment to continuous learning. During his time at Niagara, Asher was a student-athlete, and captain of the NCAA D1 Men's Soccer team. Asher has gained valuable experience in film production within the athletic department and managing the Men's Soccer Instagram account. After college, Asher is hoping to go into the marketing field.
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Christopher Bianco
Christopher graduated in December 2023 from the Sports Management program in the College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management. While in college, Christopher helped broadcast many Niagara sporting events on ESPN, Niagara Sports Network, and FLO Sports. Christopher also gained experience in announcing after filling in as announcer for a Niagara University D1 Women’s Soccer game. He was also the assistant coach for the Saint Michael Mustangs Football team. Chris’s plans after graduation include coaching football or soccer at a high school or collegiate level, while also obtaining his teaching certificate.
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Zac Briggs
Zac graduated from Niagara University in May 2024. Zac has been an active leader in the sport and campus community during his time at Niagara. Zac serves as the President of the Niagara Club Hockey Team, creating a strong sense of camaraderie. Zac also has experience interning at SUNY Brockport, where he worked with club sports and intramurals, reflecting his commitment to enhancing the student experience.
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Trevor Butz
Trevor graduated in December 2023 from the Sport Management program. During his time at Niagara, Trevor maintained a stellar GPA and made the Dean's List every semester. While attending Niagara, Trevor was often seen working in the sports communications office or the ESPN studio. Outside of Niagara, Trevor worked for a multitude of universities doing a wide variety of positions. He is known in and around Buffalo as the primary on-air talent for D’Youville University. He has also spent time working in sports broadcasting for SUNY Brockport, University at Buffalo, and Sports Fever.
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Matthew Catani
Matthew graduated from Niagara University in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel Food and Beverage Management. During his time at Niagara, Matthew took part in the Disney College Program as a Front Desk Concierge at the Polynesian Village Resort. Matthew had numerous experiences in the restaurant industry, working as a busser and host. He also obtained hotel management experience working as the Front Desk Agent at the Sheraton Hotel in Niagara Falls, NY. Matthew hopes to manage a restaurant and eventually start his own restaurant business post graduation.
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Isabella Chapman
Isabella graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management. During her time at Niagara, Isabella played for the Niagara University Club Soccer Team and was a member of the Sport Management Association (SMA). She was elected SMA Treasurer in her junior year and in her senior year, she was elected the SMA President. Isabella volunteered throughout her four years on campus, helping broadcast different Niagara University sporting events. Last summer, Isabella had the opportunity to work as a sales intern for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders; the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.
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Gabriella Cole
Gabriella graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel/Luxury Hospitality Management with a minor in Event Management. During her time at Niagara, Gabriella has been a member of CMAA and held the treasurer position from 2023-2024. She has also been a member of HTA. Gabriella worked at the Doubletree in Niagara Falls for a year and a half. Last summer she had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Lake Como, Italy, helping her obtain cultural and professional growth. After graduation, Gabriella moved to Maryland to start a corporate management position with Hyatt.
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Kelly Corl
Kelly graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management. While at Niagara University, Kelly was a student-athlete with the baseball team. He gained his love for the sport management industry through the countless hours spent around competitions and experiences in baseball and is excited to explore the fast paced world of sport.
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Michael Cowan
Michael graduated from Niagara University in December 2023 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Luxury Hotel Management and Food Service Operations. Michael has prior industry experience which includes food service operations at Black & Blue Steakhouse in Buffalo, NY, and luxury hotel management assistance at The Mansion on Delaware Avenue Buffalo, NY. Michael established and continues to operate the streetwear brand called "Collective Dream", which, in addition to base clothing, he endeavors to provide a local platform for Buffalo designers and artists to flourish.
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Chloe Davis
Chloe will graduate in fall 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Luxury Operations and a minor in Tourism Management. She currently works at the Buffalo Marriott at LECOM Harborcenter as a front desk agent. She is a member of HTA and is working on a senior capstone project on Great Wolf Resorts. After school, she hopes to work in a hotel's catering and sales department.
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Brandon Dunlop
Brandon graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management. He grew up with a passion and love of sports and strives to learn more about the industry. He will attend East Carolina University in the fall, where he will pursue a Master of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport Management, where he hopes to learn more about the sports industry from all aspects.
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Colby Ferchen
Colby Ferchen will graduate in the Fall of 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Luxury Hotel Operations. This summer, he will intern in Lake Como, Italy. He has worked with the Family Meal Hospitality Trust in planning their annual dinner event and has also been involved in HTA and CMAA.
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Jack Gelder
Jack graduated from Niagara University in spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Recreation Management. After graduation, Jack hopes to pursue a career working in the hospitality and sports industries. Currently, Jack works for the Buffalo Waterfront in the Operations Department. Jack also volunteers for Niagara University by broadcasting Niagara University sports and all other major campus events.
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Zahir Greene
Zahir graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality this past spring. He has worked with Niagara University Events and Conferences and the Kiernan Center.
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Christopher Grenga
Christopher graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Event and Meeting Management. He has worked at One Niagara Welcome Center for nearly a decade. He has also been working at ML Studios as a videographer and editor.
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Paige Herndon
Paige graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management and a minor in Communication. During her time at Niagara, Paige was a member of Niagara University’s D1 Women’s Bowling team, helping lead the team in their first season. One of Paige’s internships was with the Buffalo Bills as a Guest Experience Intern. She also had the opportunity to work at the NCAA D3 Swimming Championships in Greensboro, NC. Paige is currently seeking work in sports production and broadcasting.
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Jordan Jackowski
Jordan graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Management and a concentration in Luxury Management and Operations. She worked at the Courtyard by Marriott as a PM Shift Lead, in the Bistro/bar, and took multiple food-based courses during her time at Niagara University. Jordan will start a new position with the Hyatt Corporate Management Program in June 2024, located in Stowe, VT, as their new Food and Beverage Manager trainee.
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Kevin Kershner
Kevin graduated from Niagara University in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management. During his time at Niagara, Kevin worked NCAA division 1 athletic events in areas such as operations and broadcasting. Kevin was also selected to represent Niagara University at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, NV. Kevin was also a member of the Sport Management Association. He hopes to pursue a career in the hospitality and sports industries.
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Emily Labelle
Emily graduated in Spring 2024 with a concentration in Tourism Destination Management. She earned her Associate’s Degree at SUNY Adirondack. While at Niagara University, she has been a member of CMAA and HTA. She is a determined and personable employee who hopes to pursue a career in hospitality.
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Xinglin Li
Xinglin graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management. While at Niagara University he volunteered as a videographer with the Athletics Department. Previously, Xinglin completed internships with New York University and Tencent Technology.
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Michael Loss
Michael graduated from Niagara University in Spring 2024. At NU, Michael was the head student broadcast director for the Niagara Sports Network and ESPN+ initiative on campus. He produced and directed over 200+ live events for the ESPN family of networks, utilizing his experience at Niagara to stretch into bigger freelance opportunities. Michael is a key broadcast freelancer for the University at Buffalo’s ESPN+ department, USA Hockey TV, and KeyBank Center events. In 2023, Michael helped lead a project to put a Niagara swim meet on ESPN+ for the first time in MAAC history, which gained extensive praise from the conference. For his work in expanding Niagara’s broadcasting department, Michael was awarded the Purple Eagle Award, an accolade given out by Niagara’s athletic department to the student worker who showed tremendous commitment and pride in Niagara Athletics.
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Marc Maio
Marc graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Recreation Management senior at Niagara University. Marc obtained his Associate's degree in Sport Management from Niagara County Community College in Spring 2022. Marc has been working with Tops Markets throughout his time in college as a grocery clerk. He has been able to obtain useful information and gain valuable experience during his time at Niagara by working the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships in March 2023.
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Maria Mayet Franco
Elena graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Event Management. She was a student-athlete on the women’s tennis team. She currently works at a Holiday Inn with Merani Hotel Group as a front desk agent. She will start her MBA program this fall and is spending her summer working in Lake Como.
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Michael Marino
Michael earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Recreation Management and a minor in Marketing in December 2023. During his time at Niagara, Michael worked within the Athletic Communications Office where he gained valuable experience working gameday operations as well as alongside the ESPN broadcasts. After graduating from Niagara, Michael hopes to continue in the sports operations field where he would like to pursue corporate event management and marketing through relations with corporate partners.
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Brendan McGrath
Brendan graduated in Spring 2024. He worked several sports jobs while at Niagara University. He is currently an intern with XGen Elite and a Gate Manager with the Buffalo Bisons.
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Josef Myšák
Josef Myšák graduated in December 2023 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Recreation Management with a minor in Psychology. He is currently obtaining his master’s degree in Sport Management and will graduate in Spring 2024. He has been a member of the Niagara University Men’s DI Ice Hockey team since 2020. He participated in the Florida Panthers’ NHL Rookie Development Camp. Josef hopes to pursue a career playing professional hockey after graduation. After his hockey career, Josef would like to work in the sports industry (specifically with hockey).
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Kevin Payne
Kevin graduated with a B.S. in Sports Management. He is a passionate soccer student-athlete with a robust foundation in sales, marketing, and social media. He leverages his competitive drive and strategic mindset to excel in every endeavor. He has a proven track record of driving results and fostering meaningful connections and is eager to explore diverse opportunities through roles where he can contribute his exceptional multitasking, time management, and marketing skills.
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Lucy Piscitelli
Lucy graduated as a dual major in Spring 2024 with concentrations in Luxury Operations and Sports Recreation Management. During her time at Niagara, she was a part of the Kiernan Recreation Center staff along with running the club field hockey. One of Lucy’s internships was with the Buffalo Bisons in marketing and promotions. Lucy has been accepted into the MBA program at NU and will focus on strategic marketing. She will also work as a graduate assistant at the Kiernan Recreation Center. Post-graduate school, Lucy plans to work within the recreational side of the sports industry.
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Kelsey Rabe
Kelsey graduated from Niagara University in December 2023 with a Bachelor's degree in Luxury Hotel Operations. During her time at Niagara, Kelsey took part in the Disney College Program as a Concierge at All-Star Movies Resort. Kelsey was also a member of the Hospitality and Tourism Association (HTA). Currently, Kelsey works at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, NY as a part-time front desk clerk. In the future, Kelsey plans to work in specialty resorts.
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Anna Saviano
Anna graduated from Niagara University in December 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Luxury Hotel Operations. Anna is the Assistant Manager for a company in the restaurant industry. She oversees her staff and encourages them toward their own personal growth and success. She hopes to pursue a career where she can positively impact the lives of others through health and wellness.
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Anna Schultz
Anna graduated in the Spring of 2024, with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and a minor in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. Throughout her time at Niagara, Anna was a certified coach for Special Olympics. Off campus, she is also a Direct Service Provider for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and did many internships with the Toronto Blue Jays, Buffalo Bisons, Buffalo Bills, and the Arizona Host Committee for Super Bowl LVII. After graduation, Anna plans to work for Special Olympics.
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Amir Smith
Amir graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Esport Management. As a former member of a Division III esports team, he brings firsthand experience and insights to the industry. He is excited to leverage his creative skills and educational background to contribute to the gaming and anime industries.
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Paige Smith
Paige graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Recreation Management. During her time at Niagara, Paige participated in Soar 40:31, Club Rugby, and Sports Management Association (SMA) where she was elected secretary in 2022-23 and vice president in 2023-24. She completed internships with Niagara Power Baseball and the Buffalo Bisons as a promotions intern. Paige also worked at Super Bowl LVII. Paige is currently seeking work in sports photography and broadcasting business.
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Stevyann Solomon
Stevyann graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management - Event and Meeting Management. She is an International student hailing from Trinidad and Tobago. During her time at Niagara University, she served as the Vice President and President of the African-Caribbean Student Alliance (ACSA), and the Promotions officer and Secretary of HTA. Over the past four years, she had several internships in event planning and tourism product development which has helped her to realize that she wants to get involved in Tourism Marketing after graduation.
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Matthew Spatz
Matt is graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Sport Management focused on Sports Operations. Before returning to school in the Fall of 2020, he worked as a paramedic for 9 years. He cultivated skills that can be translated into any line of work, including his desire to work in Guest Experience in a Professional Sports setting. Matt came to Niagara in the fall of 2023 after he chose to finish his college career here after Medaille University closed its doors last year. Matt was selected to be a part of a small group that represented Niagara at MLB Spring Training in Jupiter, Florida. Matt currently works for the Buffalo Bills as part of the Gameday crew in the Guest Experience department.
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Graeme Staples
Graeme graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. While at Niagara University, Graeme has had several internships with Niagara Power and Wetland Jackfish. He has also been the assistant swim coach at Brock University.
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Anthony Surace
Anthony graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management. During his time at Niagara, Anthony has made the Dean's list every semester. He has had experience with broadcasting Niagara University sports on ESPN and the Niagara Power Baseball team. He has also worked at a sports camp for youth programs through the Grand Island Recreation Department. He is currently an intern with the Niagara Falls High School Athletic Department. After graduating from Niagara, Anthony hopes to continue in sport operations and pursue a career in marketing, social media, or ticketing.
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Mikkel Thorsen
Mikkel is a Fall 2023 graduate, from the Sports Management - Sport Operations Program. Mikkel is also graduating with a minor in Marketing. Mikkel participated on the Division 1 Men’s Soccer Team and volunteered as a coach for the Grand Island Soccer Club. Mikkel had the opportunity to intern with Niagara Power Baseball and work at a restaurant. For his senior year, he has been working closely with the College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management on a grant project to better the youth sports experience in WNY. Mikkel is planning on moving back to Denmark and pursuing a career in marketing.
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Khanh Doan Tran
Khanh Doan Tran will obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel, Food, and Beverage Management in August 2024. Her experience includes working as a Marketing Executive at the GENAT Company, based in Vietnam. She has an unwavering thirst for new challenges and a relentless pursuit of opportunities that will propel her toward the ultimate goal of becoming a Marketing Manager.
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Lauren Tupaj
Lauren graduated this Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Luxury Hospitality Operations with double minors in International Studies and Event Management. Lauren holds multiple professional certifications in hospitality management, tourism, and marketing. Lauren has taken up many internships during her time at NU and prior to attending the university, working in hotels, banquets, sales and merchandising, and conferences. Most notably, she held jobs as an event coordinator for NU and for the CPSI, a rotating department employee of The Hotel UMD, a front desk representative for the Provost, and a hostess at Walt Disney World Resorts & Parks, etc. Lauren has also run the very first Asian Student Union on her campus for the past 3 years, welcoming in goals for interconnectivity between students and celebrating diversity and cultural heritage. Lauren plans to work in the Buffalo-Niagara region in hotels and special events, or, possibly return to Disney to work in resorts and weddings in the future.
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Sarah Walters
Sarah graduated in the spring of 2024, with a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Destination & Event Management with a minor in Communication. Throughout college, she was a supervisor at a local restaurant in her hometown and worked at the Kiernan Recreation Center on campus. She completed two internships including working as a rotational intern at the Old Baldy Club in Saratoga, WY, and as a travel intern at Constellation Brands in Rochester, NY. In addition to working, Sarah has also been a member of the HTA and held leadership positions for the last two years. She was also a member of the CMAA. Sarah plans to work in corporate travel or the DMO industry.
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Jackson Zoeller
Jackson graduated in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport and Recreation Management. Jackson has worked in several areas of community recreation in the town of Cheektowaga and as a hockey official for USA hockey. Jackson has also enjoyed his volunteering experiences for Niagara's ESPN broadcasts. He hopes to build a career working around athletics, either recreational or professional, and wants to be able to make a positive contribution to his community.