2025 Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award Winners

In 2019 the Cornell Hotel Society established the Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award.  The award was designed to recognize and celebrate Phil Miller’s legacy as a builder of networks and relationships.  For decades Phil was the heart of the Cornell Hotelie for Life^® that is the foundation of the Cornell Hotel Society (CHS).  The award is given to students that demonstrate an understanding of the spirit of Phil Miller – the importance of connecting and giving back.

The winners of the award in 2025 are Sam Kimball ‘27, Emma Roder ‘26, and Theo Belin ’26.

             About Sam Kimball ‘27

Growing up with Hotel School graduates, it is not surprising that Sam was drawn to the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration.  He saw firsthand how the Hotel School contributed to the professional success of his father, uncle, and cousin.  However, making the most of his first two years on campus, Sam is building his own path to a successful career in the hospitality industry.  Sam’s activities at Cornell are plentiful and diverse.

Sam’s father, Louis Kimball ’84, was founder of the Pluto’s restaurant chain in the San Francisco Bay Area.  As a kid, Sam would work in the restaurants which was his first direct exposure to the hospitality industry.  While in high school, Sam took his talents to Shake Shack where he ultimately rose to the position of cross trainer before the age of 18.  Prior to arriving in Ithaca, Sam received his first hotel experience working a summer at the Marriott Marquis in San Francsico.

Entering the Hotel School, Sam was most interested in hotel and food & beverage operations.  However, after a few classes, Sam’s interest shifted towards hospitality real estate.  Sam spent the summer after his freshman year at Marriott International’s Headquarters in Bethesda working as an intern on the global operations team.  With his deep interest in real estate, Sam will be joining Trinity Investments in Los Angeles in the summer of 2025 and Starwood Capital Group in New York City in the summer of 2026.

During the school year, Sam is part of the Statler Hotel’s Leadership Development Program, currently working as an Operational Analyst.  He is active in the Cornell Real Estate Club and serves as a Rooms and Guest Experience Assistant Director for HEC 100.

Even though he is just a sophomore, Sam is already giving back to the school and paying it forward to his fellow students.  He currently serves as a Teaching Assisting in FOUR Hotel School classes:  Business Computing, Hospitality Development and Management, Hotel Operations, and F&B Management.  In addition, he serves on the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, is the Executive Vice President of the AHLA Cornell Chapter, President of the HSMAI Cornell Chapter, and a Nolan School Student Ambassador.  This involvement has led to strong relationships with several professors. Sam’s favorite classes thus far include Advanced Business Modeling, Hospitality Real Estate, and Hospitality Distribution.

During his junior year, Sam plans to spend a semester abroad in Florence, Italy.  While he will be taking some hospitality courses, he looks forward to traveling and experiencing other cultures.  Outside of Statler, Sam serves as a Sports Reporter for the Cornell Daily Sun and is the Director of Professional Development for Cornell Business Analytics.

Growing up, Sam saw firsthand the power of personal and professional networking through his family’s involvement in the Cornell Hotel Society. Like Phil Miller, he values every opportunity to connect with alumni and learn from their advice. Following in his family’s footsteps, Sam is committed to giving back — ensuring that his future success in the hospitality industry supports Hotelie students and alumni for years to come.

            About Emma Roder ‘26

Growing up, creating memorable experiences through food was at the core of Emma's and her family's values.  Holidays were special events full of great meals and joy.  Inspired by this intense F&B environment, Emma was a contestant on Master Chef Junior (hosted by Gordon Ramsey) at age 12 allowing her to engage even more with her love for culinary.  Emma gained additional F&B experience working at a local Italian restaurant throughout high school in the Boston area, in all front of house roles.

When applying for colleges, her family encouraged her to reach beyond pure culinary and expand into the business of hospitality.  Emma started her post-secondary education at the University of Denver School of Hospitality Management (DU) which confirmed her passion for the industry.  However, she was granted a transfer option to the Nolan school and accepted the offer for her sophomore year.  Emma arrived in Ithaca with a love for food and beverage.  However, after her summer job at the Twin Farms luxury hotel and resort in Vermont, she became intrigued by her time in the housekeeping department as well as operational service management and efficiency tactics within it.  While working in housekeeping she observed firsthand how small gestures can greatly impact a guest’s experience at any property, and the joy that attention to detail can bring to people subconsciously.  This became a significant influence on her desire to continue learning to become a “magic maker” within establishments in which she works.

Emma also works at Simeon’s American Bistro on the Commons during school and plans to spend the summer of 2025 working at The French Laundry in Napa, CA.  She is currently a CA for the infamous Establishment class at the Hotel School and has since expanded on the intricacies of restaurant management.

Emma serves as a research assistant for Professor Lilly Jan doing research pertaining to career progression in the foodservice industry.  She credits Jan with teaching her how to dig beyond industry assumptions to become a more well-rounded industry professional, as well as helping her to create a work life balance as a busy and passionate Hotelie.  Outside of Statler, Emma is President of Absolute Acapella - a group on the Ithaca campus and serves as Head of the Acapella Advisory Council.

Emma has found Cornell to be a gift and feels fortunate to be exposed to such a rich business core with an emphasis on serving others. Although being a transfer student initially presented some challenges, the more she has begun to engage with the vast alumni network and the resources the Hotel School has had to offer, she has thrived.  She is excited to be able to pay many of the wonderful experiences that she has had at the Hotel School to other upcoming women in the industry as well as a platform for change.

Emma acknowledges the immense honor she has been given to represent Phil Miller’s legacy through the acceptance of this award and looks forward to continuing through life as a Hotelie committed to connecting others, as he would have wished.

          About Théo Belin ’26

Initially interested in architecture and business, it was during a visit to Cornell that it was confirmed how deeply hospitality resonated with Théo. His decision to enroll at the Nolan School was grounded in a desire to serve others while exploring creative problem-solving in business.

Early on, Théo was very impressed with Professor Chervinsky’s Hospitality Development course. It was the perfect blend of business and architecture. This led Théo to his current interest in pursuing a career in hotel development. To ensure his qualifications, Théo is taking as many real estate development courses as he can. In fact, he has been taking graduate real estate courses since his junior fall semester.

To be an effective hotel developer, Théo knew he needed more exposure to hotel operations. During the summer after his freshman year, Théo stayed on campus and rotated through a variety of departments within the Statler Hotel.  After his sophomore year, Théo lived in New York to help contribute to Mandarin Oriental’s branded residences team.

Since arriving at Cornell, Théo has taken part in a range of activities that reflect his appreciation for connection, service, and community. He is involved in the Cornell Hotel Society, Collegiate Chapter (CHS, CC), where he serves on the Executive Vice President and has enjoyed contributing to events like Hotelie Weekend and CHS chapter gatherings. He’s also been involved with HEC, worked in the Statler Hotel, and has been a Teaching Assistant for four courses.

Théo has taken full advantage of the Hotelie alumni network. During the summer of 2023 Théo attended the CHRIS and HOLA Hotel Investment conferences in Florida as a student ambassador. In December of 2023, Theo attended the Cornell Hotel Society – Finger Lakes Chapter holiday party where he got to interact with so many alumni.

Théo is a "people person” and he gets great joy from positively affecting people’s lives and helping them achieve their goals. Whether through mentorship programs, event planning, or simply getting to know classmates, Théo brings empathy and energy to his work. He is grateful for the friendships and mentors he’s found at Nolan and hopes to continue supporting his peers in their own journeys through hospitality and beyond.