BU student Gillian Casson has won the Best Student Award at the BAHA Recognition Awards 2021.
BAHA is the voice that represents the hotel, accommodation and hospitality sector across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch and celebrates success in the industry.
The awards ceremony welcomed over 200 hoteliers and sponsors, including Bournemouth University who proudly sponsored the event.
Gillian joined the hospitality industry at the age of 17 and since then, she has worked in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK (United Kingdom). After spending 14 years in the industry, Gillian decided to take a career break and join BU as a postgraduate student on the MSc International Hospitality & Tourism Management programme.
Dr Charalampos Giousmpasoglou, Principal Academic in Hospitality at BU, attended the event and congratulated Gillian, saying, “She is a very organised and goal-oriented student who is always asking questions in order to further improve her knowledge on the hospitality industry. During class group-work she demonstrated very good leadership skills and her opinion was always respected by colleagues, she possesses unique decision making, entrepreneurship and communication skills.”
Dr Giousmpasoglou continued “As a hospitality educator and former practitioner, I’m really honoured to have worked with her during her studies.”
Gillian is now working full-time for the Travelodge in Christchurch on her placement year and will soon resume her studies at BU.
The ceremony took place on Sunday 3 October 2021 at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth, with the awards sponsored by Expedia.
