College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

Blake Murphy, a WKU College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) senior majoring in Hospitality Management with a concentration in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management, is gaining valuable experience this summer. Murphy is from Junction City, and he is spending his summer at the Hyatt Place of Bowling Green working as an operations manager, while also earning internship credit toward his degree.

Having worked at the Hyatt Place since August of 2020, and after a series of promotions, Murphy accepted the role of operations manager in hopes of expanding his skill set. He feels the managerial role has given him a new look into the hotel industry, and helped him learn what it means to be a manager, how to apply those skills, and how to help others use those skills.

Murphy shared, “Being operations manager of a hotel and still being in school puts me ahead of other people in the field because it shows determination to be a full-time student and work 50 or more hours every week. Working for my general manager, Mrs. Kacie Hood, gave me a different look at hotels and helped me see how a hotel should be run. She is the most amazing boss and is who I strive to be one day when I am the general manager of my own hotel.”

On a day-to-day basis, serving as operations manager, Murphy helps wherever is needed around the hotel. He said a typical day may consist of the need to fill in at the front desk, in the kitchen, with housekeeping and maintenance, or even cleaning the pool. He is gaining experience by coordinating with food and beverage vendors, handling front desk HR issues, hiring and training new personnel, handling deposits, working with the hotel sales team on group and meeting space, and working with the housekeeping department on busy days to make sure rooms meet company standards.

When asked about his experience at WKU, Murphy expressed how much CHHS faculty member Chef Julie Lee inspired him during her Food Science class. “I was not looking forward to this class because I was a terrible cook and even worse with measurements, which was what the entire class was about. Chef Lee went out of her way to make sure that I would not be left behind. She would meet with me on Fridays to go over measurements and help me prepare for the dreaded measurements quizzes we had every Monday.” 

During these sessions, Chef Lee shared with Murphy her experiences at different ends of the hospitality industry. He said, “Chef Lee has done it all and has been amazing every step of the way. She inspired me to pursue the hotel industry and advised me to keep climbing the ladder to be the best I can be. Without Chef Lee I would not be operations manager of a Hyatt Hotel as a senior in college, I can tell you that much. She has changed so many people’s lives for the better and she doesn't even know it.”