Graduate Delores top of the class for hospitality and event management
An international student who chose the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to complete her master’s degree is preparing for a new career in events management.
Delores Cao, originally from the city of Shenyang in the north east of China, graduated from UCLan with a Master of Science in International Hospitality and Event Management, achieving the top mark in her class.
The one-year post-graduate degree saw Delores examine the current trends in the hospitality and events industry, plus exploring ways to ensure international hotels can cater for guests of different nationalities and cultures.
"Before the course, I had many ideas but thanks to help from my tutors, I am now able to match them with my studies to create events and services that people from across the world can enjoy."
Her dissertation on the UK music festival industry and ways to expand the market was highly graded. This followed a similarly impressive presentation on how to introduce a popular Chinese restaurant chain, Haidilao, across the UK. The two pieces of work both contributed to Delores earning the highest average grade in her year.
Arriving in the UK for the first time earlier in the year, Delores embedded herself in British society with a view to understand the culture which would help her to excel in her course and future career. As a class representative, Delores also supported other international students in her class to liaise with tutors and other classmates to help all students graduate.
The 25-year-old has since gone on to undertake a work placement at a 5-star hotel in her home city of Shenyang, advising hotel managers on providing high quality service for its British and international guests. She is now using her University master’s degree and experience to work within Shanghai’s busy events sector.
Delores said: “I had a number of offers from different universities in the UK and Canada when I finished my undergraduate degree but UCLan was always my first choice due to the quality of the course here, as well as Britain’s reputation in providing top quality hospitality.
“The campus and city were the perfect size and I was able to make new friends almost immediately. The course allowed me to understand about the importance of service quality in the hospitality industry, as well as learning the varied expectations from different cultures when they stay at hotels or attend events.
“Now I have developed a wide range of experience from my work placement in a hotel I am excited to use my knowledge in the events sector. Before the course, I had many ideas but thanks to help from my tutors, I am now able to match them with my studies to create events and services that people from across the world can enjoy.”
Delores was joined by her friends from China as she became one of 1,500 students who graduated at UCLan’s Preston campus last week.