Trevor Sorbo is not the typical college student.\u00a0 The 16-year-old is making his mark at UCF\u2019s Rosen College of Hospitality Management by engaging professors, conducting research, striving for honors and proposing new industry technologies.<\/p>\n
The Hospitality Management major is focusing on Theme Park and Attractions Management.\u00a0 After to a family visit to Walt Disney World, he realized a passion for the industry and desire to participate in behind-the-scenes operations.\u00a0 \u201cNo other college has a theme park track! If I become a manager at Walt Disney World or any<\/em> hospitality organization, I know I will love my job,\u201d describes Sorbo.<\/p>\n With a father in the Air Force, Sorbo was homeschooled since kindergarten.\u00a0 In high school, he participated in dual-enrollment opportunities, graduated early and moved on to Daytona State College at the age of 14.\u00a0 The community college experience prepared him for instruction at UCF, the nation\u2019s second largest university.<\/p>\n He currently lives at home in Oviedo and feels fortunate that UCF is in his back yard. \u201cI am getting great classroom learning from seasoned professionals, unparalleled research opportunities and awesome industry connections,\u201d shares Sorbo.<\/p>\n His research interests include technology and its applications for the hospitality industry.\u00a0 He designed a theme park scavenger hunt mobile app for his Guest Services class, and is further developing the business model and concept for his Theme Park & Attractions Management class.<\/p>\n Simultaneously, he is working with Professor Elise Enloe to generate a proposal to present at The Special Event 2012 on technology tools for event professionals.\u00a0 Enloe describes it as \u201ca presentation that gives old dogs new tricks.\u201d\u00a0 The two connected when Sorbo took a class taught by Enloe last fall.\u00a0 Impressed with his teach-back on an Event Technology chapter, he was invited to present to other sections of her class.\u00a0 During the Spring 2011 semester, Enloe invited him back, not as a student, but as a guest speaker.<\/p>\n More recently, Sorbo presented with student Allyssa Anderson and mentor Dr. James Hogg during UCF\u2019s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence.\u00a0 Their topic was \u201cMobilizing Your Marketing and Commerce Strategies: A Research Study to Inform the Hospitality Industry.\u201d Although in the beginning stages of research, the next steps include surveying event attendees and developing strategies that professionals can use to easily create 21st century events.\u00a0 \u201cThe technology exists and the professionals exist, and we are providing the bridge between them,\u201d describes Sorbo.<\/p>\n Once he has obtained the required amount of upper-division courses, Sorbo plans to apply for the Honors in the Major, an undergraduate thesis program run by the Burnett Honors College.\u00a0 Additionally he strives to participate in the Research and Mentoring Program (RAMP) with Dr. Hogg, and complete a thesis.<\/p>\n Striking a balance between his studies and professional life, Sorbo works in the industry as a front desk agent at the Holiday Inn UCF and considers picking up a seasonal theme park job this summer. \u00a0\u201cI know that my job is to make people happy and I cannot think of a better answer to the question \u2018what do you do?\u2019\u201d shares Sorbo.<\/p>\n He credits teamwork from classmates and teachers that care as the most important ways Rosen College helps him succeed.\u00a0 He plans to stay with Rosen College for a master\u2019s degree upon graduation by the age of 20, with the eventual goal of holding an executive position within the hospitality industry.<\/p>\n Rosen College is delighted to recognize Sorbo as a bright, up-and-coming researcher, scholar and professional — and one to definitely follow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Trevor Sorbo is not the typical college student.\u00a0 The 16-year-old is making his mark at UCF\u2019s Rosen College of Hospitality Management by engaging professors, conducting research, striving for honors and proposing new industry technologies. The Hospitality Management major is focusing on Theme Park and Attractions Management.\u00a0 After to a family visit to Walt Disney World, he realized a passion for…","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":23259,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-twocol.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[2399,4068,4782],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-23258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colleges","tag-james-hogg","tag-rosen-college-of-hospitality-management","tag-trevor-sorbo"],"yoast_head":"\n