Hospitality Management Major Wins Best Paper Award

Julia Cerverizzo, a first-year Hospitality Management major in The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, earned the Best Paper Award at the 2025 Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Conference for Researchers, Educators, Practitioners, and Students held in New York City from April 11 to 12. 

Julia’s research project focused on experiential marketing and social media engagement in food travel vlogs. Her research examined how YouTube vlog themes and storytelling techniques related to food tourism can influence viewer emotions and engagement—bridging academic theory with modern marketing trends.

According to Seunghyun “Brian” Park, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Division of Administration and Economics; Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Hospitality Management; and Julia’s faculty mentor, what made her work stand out was her ability to “connect academic concepts to real-world applications,” despite being early in her academic journey. “Her thoughtful and professional research approach demonstrated the kind of high-quality scholarship we aim to foster at St. John’s,” he added.

Events like this conference are becoming increasingly important in higher education, particularly for undergraduate students. “These opportunities not only help students sharpen critical thinking and problem-solving skills, but also build confidence when their work is validated by peers, faculty, and industry professionals,” Dr. Park said. He emphasized that the Hospitality Management program at St. John’s is committed to preparing students to lead and innovate in the hospitality and tourism industries.

For Julia, the experience was both inspiring and affirming. “Watching food travel vlogs always fascinated me—the way they immerse you in a place through emotion and storytelling. I wanted to understand how that translates into marketing impact,” she said. 

Presenting her research to a professional audience was initially nerve-wracking, but ultimately empowering. “People were genuinely interested and asked thought-provoking questions,” she said. “It helped me see my work in a broader context.”

Julia added that winning the Best Paper Award was “incredibly validating” and reinforced her passion for the field. “It showed me that my work matters and encouraged me to keep exploring new ideas in hospitality marketing.”

The conference also featured St. John’s alumni—and former Best Paper Award winners—as keynote speakers, including Lilly Nguyen ’23MS, who earned her master’s degree in International Hospitality Management, and John Kelton ’21CCPS, who majored in Hospitality Management. Their presence offered students a glimpse into the career trajectories that can follow from early academic success.

“It was a full-circle moment,” said Mr. Kelton, now a Finance Manager at iHeartMedia, Inc. “I wanted to share the value of networking as many of my opportunities came through the connections I made as a student.” He also encouraged current students to develop technical skills alongside the soft skills that are often second nature in hospitality.

Ms. Nguyen, now an Event Coordinator at The Peninsula New York, echoed those sentiments. “Being invited back as a keynote speaker was a real honor. I wanted to show students that the path they are on now can lead to incredible places. Winning the Best Paper Award helped me grow in confidence and professionalism, and I hope I inspired others to believe in their potential.”