When Savannah enrolled in an Intro to Culinary course her sophomore year, she was introduced to the food and beverage and hospitality fields and discovered a strong interest in the industry. With encouragement from her teacher, Abbey Hooten, Savannah stepped outside her comfort zone to run for a Georgia FCCLA Region Office, where she developed leadership skills and gained exposure to career development opportunities. She continued in the culinary pathway, where instructor Chef Hicks helped her expand her interests beyond the kitchen and into event management.
As a senior, Savannah participated in a tour of Jekyll Island Resort and a student job fair as part of the Jekyll Island Hospitality Career Summit – an experience connected to Georgia’s CTAE workforce development efforts. Inspired by the resort’s history and the range of career possibilities, she decided to pursue a future in hospitality and event management.
Savannah applied to both Johnson & Wales University and the University of Alabama, earning acceptance and scholarships from each. She ultimately chose Johnson & Wales, where she is majoring in Sports and Event Management and is on track to graduate two years early with honors. Savannah credits her CTAE experiences and the support of her teachers for helping her discover her passion and build a clear path forward.