2024 Philippus Miller III ‘83 Legacy Award Winners Travel to Hong Kong and Dubai

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 2024 are Camryn Scott ’25, Cynthia Saldana ’25, and Catherine Ching ’26.

          About Camryn Scott ‘25

Camryn was a nervous high school student when she started working at the Hudson Farmer & the Fish restaurant in Sleepy Hollow, New York.  Just a few months later she had worked her way up to lead hostess, mastered all front and back of the house positions, and fell in love working with her colleagues and greeting guests.  Her passions for connecting with new people, building relationships, and travel made her a quintessential Hotelie. Therefore, when applying for college, the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration seemed like a perfect fit and was a natural first choice.

Camryn is relentlessly energetic, a very positive person, and a natural leader. She has developed strong relationships with faculty members that have shaped her academic experience while on campus in Ithaca:

• Human Resources with Professor Lakhani was a discussion-based course that motivated self-engagement.
• Business Law with Professor Sherwyn was filled with stories that captured Camryn’s attention and imagination.
• Camryn took a special interest in Business Writing, which then led to a position in the SHA Communication Center where she assisted other students with their class projects and assignments since her freshman year.
• Persuasive Business Communication with Professor McDowell gave her the confidence to proudly speak in public.

Camryn’s love for travel, adventure, and diverse experiences is very evident when she discusses her past summer internships.  After her freshman year, Camryn worked in marketing and sales for Celebrity Cruises.  She then introduced herself to Sarah Phelps – Arts ’99 after her presentation on “The Astronaut Experience” during HEC.  That helped her land an out-of-this-world summer job with Blue Origin in Seattle last summer.  For the summer of 2024, Camryn is thrilled to be working in Revenue Management with United Airlines in Chicago, Illinois.  All along the way, Camryn has availed herself of the Cornell and Hotelie alumni networks to not only find jobs, but to make valuable industry connections and lifelong friendships.   

Looking to diversify her Cornell experience, and travel, Camryn is currently spending the Spring semester of her junior year in Sydney, Australia.  She also serves on the Dean’s Student Advisory Board which she finds particularly rewarding and is her favorite form of involvement at Cornell.

For Camryn, being a Hotelie for Life^® means making friends wherever you are, being kind to whoever you meet, and making an effort to help everyone you know along the way.  As a Phil Miller Legacy Award winner, Camryn was able to attend the CHS APAC regional meeting in Hong Kong during February 2024 which has made her very interested in working abroad after her graduation next Spring.

* * *

          About Cynthia Saldana ’25

Cynthia's journey to Cornell was inspired by her first visit to Ithaca when helping her brother move in after getting accepted into Cornell. During these trips, Cynthia was enchanted by the beauty of the Cornell campus, which inspired her desire to attend Cornell herself in the future.

Despite her family's business background, Cynthia's fascination with psychology remained strong throughout her upbringing. She realized that pursuing a career in hospitality would seamlessly merge her passion for psychology with her interest in business. Her passion grew stronger as she gained hands-on experience in the hospitality industry during her high school years, working at diverse establishments such as Pizza Hut and Dairy Queen.

Cynthia recognized that pursuing a degree in hospitality would pose personal challenges, particularly as an introvert. However, she saw it as an opportunity for personal growth. Upon acceptance into the hotel school, she found herself consistently pushed out of her comfort zone, attending career fairs, social events, and undergoing interviews. Surrounded by her supportive hotelie peers and faculty, Cynthia began to blossom, gaining confidence and transitioning towards a more extroverted version of herself by sophomore year. Her breakthrough came when she secured a summer internship at 1 Hotel South Beach after networking at the annual fall career fair. Immersing herself in hotel operations over multiple summers, Cynthia will be starting her summer 2024 internship at Hilton's corporate office in Dallas, Texas, focusing on revenue management.

Throughout her time at the Hotel School, from hands-on experience on property to involvement in HEC, she has grasped the essence of service. Whether it was planning a conference for alumni through HEC or offering assistance to a distressed guest and continuously checking in on them during their stay to ensure a pleasurable vacation, each experience has reinforced the significance of service. All these single moments combined have inspired Cynthia to live a life of service and be a Hotelie for Life^®.

As a Phil Miller Legacy Award winner, Cynthia was able to attend the CHS EMEA regional meeting in Dubai during April of 2024.

Picture below:  Cynthia is pictured with Tony Capuano ’87, President and CEO of Marriott International, at the April 2024 CHS EMEA regional conference in Dubai.

* * *

          About Catherine Ching ’26

Catherine was an exceptional student at Stuyvesant High School in New York City.  Like many of her classmates, she was following a path towards a STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).  However, since her family owned a Dim Sum restaurant in Brooklyn Chinatown, her exposure to hospitality influenced her to follow a different direction.  While spending time in the family restaurant, Catherine was very impressed with the quantity and diversity of patrons.  She knew she wanted a career that gave her an opportunity to meet people.

Catherine enrolled in the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration with the intention to eventually transfer to the Food Science program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  However, after spending her freshman year in the Hotel School, she wanted to stay.

Two classes had a significant influence on Catherine’s decision to stay at the Hotel School. Professor Helen Chun taught a Marketing class that provided a great understanding of consumer preferences and psychology.  Catherine enjoyed learning how to interact with people in Professor Workman’s Organizational Behavior class.  She eventually became a Teaching Assistant for Prof. Workman.

Being a “people person” of all cultures, Catherine is combining a minor in International Relations with her Services Marketing concentration and Hospitality degree.  This combination provides a great foundation for understanding the people that she serves. Catherine is an active member of the Hotel Leadership Development Program (HLDP).  As part of the HLDP program, Catherine is working in the Sales and Marketing department of the Statler Hotel.

Catherine has always been impressed with the opportunities and ability to meet Hotel School alumni.  She traveled to New York during the Hotelie Weekend and joined the executive board of the CHS Collegiate Chapter as the Vice President of People and Culture.  She loves hearing the anecdotal stories told by Hotelies that have presented in her classes.

After Cornell, Catherine plans to pursue law school with a specialization in International Law. It is Catherine’s dream to be able to represent and make an impact to those in need worldwide.  This desire to help people is emblematic of her interpretation of what it means to be a Hotelie for Life^®.  Catherine wants to live a life of service by providing empathy and compassion through her actions to those less fortunate.

As a Phil Miller Legacy Award winner, Catherine was able to attend the CHS EMEA regional meeting in Dubai during April of 2024. This was an amazing and unique opportunity to foster meaningful connections with Hotelie alumni and industry leaders in the innovative city of Dubai. As she reflects on this unforgettable experience, she is reminded of how special it is to have the support of such a strong, robust alumni network within the Cornell Hotel Society. She will continue to contribute to this community in meaningful ways as a future leader.

Picture below: Catherine is pictured at the Souk Madinat Jumeirah while attending the April 2024 CHS EMEA regional conference in Dubai.