“Enjoy the ICMS Journey” – 2019 Accor Scholarship Winner

Winning an International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) Scholarship not only assists students financially, but also opens a world of opportunity to make friends, to network, and to pave the way to future career success.

This is according to Bachelor of Hospitality Management student Taylor Gleeson, 2019 Accor Hotel Scholarship winner, who spoke at the March ICMS Scholarship and Dean’s List ceremony at the ICMS main campus in Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney.

Three such ceremonies are held over the course of the year, and at the March ceremony alone over 70 scholarships worth a collective $1.2million were awarded. The ICMS Professional Scholarship Program brings the college and industry partners together in awarding scholarships to current and prospective students, both domestic and international, as both reward and recognition for academic excellence and as a platform from which they can launch their careers.

“Receiving this scholarship is really beneficial for my career in hospitality,” she said. “I think having the background of Accor Hotels, which is the biggest hotel chain in Australia, can get you places all around the world and offer so many opportunities and open so many doors.”

Gleeson, who won an ICMS Professional Scholarship in 2016, is in her final year of studies at ICMS. In her speech at the ceremony, she reflected on her time at ICMS, and urged fellow students to “have fun, work hard and enjoy the journey because it will be over before you know it.”

“It feels like not very long ago that I applied at ICMS and began my journey as a first year student, not knowing a single person here and not having a clue what to expect. However, looking back on my experiences now, I realise how lucky I have been to study in this castle for a little over three years and be involved in college life, the ICMS way,” she said.

As a recipient of the ICMS Professional Scholarship in 2016, Gleeson became a Student Ambassador in her first year and, as a result, made many friends outside of classes.

“The Student Ambassador Team became such a family during the year and there are so many volunteering opportunities such as Open Day, interview days, agency expos and nights like tonight which are always a lot of fun getting involved and meeting new people,” she said.

Gleeson pointed out that the smaller size of ICMS lent itself to a collegial atmosphere, where students are not lost in the crowd.

“I think something that really makes ICMS stand out from other universities and colleges is the true ICMS culture and spirit. The size of our school means that when I walk into the courtyard I know almost everyone and can chat with anyone,” she said.

“All our teachers and lecturers know us by name and are so happy to engage and assist outside of class time which is something I am really grateful for. I have met so many amazing people at ICMS who will not only be my classmates for the duration of my degree, but industry connections and friends for the rest of my life… The fact that half of the students in the college are international is additionally a huge benefit, allowing industry connections all over the world, before even stepping into fulltime work.”

In conclusion, Gleeson said: “As my time at ‘the castle’ comes to a close, I would like to thank the college for creating opportunities that I couldn’t find anywhere else. Thank you to the scholarship board for considering me twice to be a scholarship recipient. Thank you to every lecturer I have had who has given me invaluable career advice and life lessons, and thank you to Accor Hotels for sponsoring this scholarship. I’m extremely grateful and wouldn’t change my ICMS experience for anything.”

Novotel Manly Pacific Hotel General Manager Dylan Scott presented two 2019 Accor Hotel Scholarships at the ceremony, one to Gleeson and one to Lachlan Franklin.

“Accor and ICMS have a long and successful partnership that spans over many years. In my role, I am witnessing first-hang the quality and quantity of students that ICMS are preparing as future leaders for our industry,” Scott said.

* The Accor Hotel Scholarship of $10,000 is awarded to a student studying a Bachelor of Hospitality Management (*Business Management or Event Management). The monetary award goes toward tuition and potential graduate employment, and is awarded to a student who displays enthusiasm and motivation for the hospitality industry and whose aptitude, academic results and previous or current work experience fit with Accor’s business goals.

For more information on the ICMS Professional Scholarship Program, click here: https://www.icms.edu.au/scholarships