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NEWS
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Ask Anything – Ms. Leticia Delarmente
SHRIM Dean Leticia Delarmente has been integral in the development of SHRIM into the well-renowned school that it is today, and now she answers questions raised by the Benildean community.
- What are the challenges that the school faces with the integration of Deaf students to SHRIM?
The biggest challenge the school faces in the integration of Deaf students would be the availability of qualified faculty and the types of support services that we could adopt from other developed nations. We believe, however, that because of the support of the College to these initiatives, all the necessary support systems will be in place in order to make our programs for the Deaf work. Furthermore, we are fortunate at DLS-CSB because we have embraced the Deaf into our fold and they have become an integral part of our Benildean community.
- What courses can Deaf students take in SHRIM this year?
Some courses that Deaf students may take in the coming years are: Culinary, Housekeeping, Food Service, and other back of the house-related courses. It is noteworthy to know that the Shangri-La group of hotels in the Philippines is adopting an advocacy of giving opportunity to Persons with Disabilities to be employed. It is therefore timely that SHRIM can offer courses for the Deaf so they may become competitive in the work force. This will also further validate DLS-CSB’s initiatives to provide Deaf people more opportunities to do whatever they want to do and become an integral part of the society in general.
- DLS-CSB SHRIM graduates are some of the most sought-after by the hotel, restaurant, and tourism industries. How
do you plan to maintain, and even improve this status?
The quality of education we give our students including excellent extra-curriculum activities, together with a strong moral foundation through the effective assimilation of our Lasallian value system, make our students stand above the rest. Worthy of mention too are our various overseas training programs in partnership with internationally prestigious establishments such as Institut Vatel (France), the Emirates Academy (Dubai), the Cologne University (Germany) and the International Trainee Network that afford our students additional top-of-the line overseas exposure and training. These will serve them very well when they start their careers in the competitive world of hostelry.
- What do you think would be your greatest legacy as school dean?
DLS-CSB SHRIM has introduced many firsts such as, but not limited to:
- YHE (Young Hoteliers Exposition) held every term. It is a venue organized, managed and promoted by students to showcase their talent in a friendly but competitive environment in various areas of hotel operation including: food and beverage; kitchen-production and rooms division. Arguably, there is no other hotel school in the country that stage as this activity.
- Tourism Exposed is a bi-annual activity where students of the travel and tourism track organize, manage and promote an event featuring various tourist spots – local and overseas – an early exposure for students into the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Expositions (MICE) market. Again, this activity has no parallel in other hotel schools.
- Partnering with one of Europe’s most prestigious Hotel Management schools, Institut Vatel. Students graduating from the (IHM) International Hotel Management course will earn two degrees: one from Institut Vatel and another from DLS-CSB. This is the first time such course is offered in the Philippines.
- Obtaining PAASCU Level 3.
- Out of town (local and overseas) trips for students to enhance classroom learning.
- Introduction of a Dress & Hygiene Code for SHRIM students to inculcate the appropriate hotel culture to the students.
- We were the first hotel school to introduce track specialization i.e. Culinary, Hotel Management, Travel & Tours and International Hotel Management.
- What has been your most heartwarming experience in DLS-CSB?
To see the transformation of a high school graduate to a self-confident, young professional-to-be must be the most heart-warming experience, I would say. To positively influence the perspective of a young adult on the threshold of maturity; to reassure him/her that there is value in education; to impress upon him/her the dignity of labor and the beauty of service – not only in the hospitality sense, but also in the human sense – these are heartwarming. To witness the successful conclusion of every YHE, and to see the joy of triumph and the resolve to do better in our students are heartwarming. When graduates visit and tell us how they are faring in their careers – that is heartwarming. When graduates employed in leading hotels come to us and tell us that they wish to join the faculty to do their bit of technology transfer – that is heartwarming. In fact, just to interact with the young and listen to their goals, hopes and dreams – and be one of the tools for them to achieve these – is heartwarming. In sum, to know how our faculty and I touched the lives of our students to become useful citizens – that is heartwarming. To be the dean of the country’s leading hotel management school is heartwarming. These are just a few of my heartwarming experiences which I will treasure as my own modest contribution to nation building.
The April issue’s featured Administrator will be Mr. Benhur Ong, Dean of the School of Management and Information Technology. Questions for Dean Ong may be sent to mco@dls-csb.edu.ph, with [Ask Dean Ong] in the subject line, on or before April 8, 2010 (Thursday).
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