Thanks to Aramark Educational Services, each year a group of hospitality management students at the University of Delaware participates in a prestigious internship known as the Aramark Scholars program.

Ten talented undergraduate students are chosen every year (five per semester) to be student managers at UD’s student-run gourmet restaurant, Vita Nova. Located in the Trabant University Center, Vita Nova is open to the public and also functions as a teaching lab for the hospitality students.

Every Aramark Scholar was excited and grateful for the opportunities to enhance their skills and careers, experience paid management positions and meet and learn from UD professors and Aramark executives.

Victoria Bailor

For Victoria Bailor, becoming an Aramark scholar meant more than preparing her peers for the dinner service at Vita Nova. The position has also helped her gain the skills she’ll need as a manager in the restaurant industry. Bailor wants to work in the food industry after graduating in winter 2017, with the dream of eventually owning her own restaurant.

Aside from the professional benefits, Bailor said that she loves seeing Vita Nova’s guests enjoy her culinary creations.

“In the hospitality industry we all have a strong passion for people, and I love when something I have created makes people happy,” Bailor said.

Michael Baumohl

This is Michael Baumohl’s second experience as an Aramark Scholar, and he said that the internship lets him work in a managerial role. Baumohl manages the Friday lunch buffet, a practice that will help him with his dream of someday opening a restaurant of his own.

In high school, Baumohl’s culinary arts team placed in multiple national competitions, and he worked in a restaurant when he wasn’t at school. However, he credits his grandmother the most with his passion for the hospitality industry.

“Whenever I didn’t have school when I was younger, I would always go to her place and cook with her,” he said.

Jonathan Cavaliere

Jonathan Cavaliere’s family has a long history of entrepreneurship in the hospitality industry. His grandparents owned a restaurant before he was born, and his uncle owned a diner. Another one of Cavaliere’s uncles runs a bar at a yacht club.

Having worked in two restaurants in his hometown and participating in a culinary program in high school, Cavaliere was excited to be selected for the Aramark Scholars program. He currently works as Vita Nova’s front of house lunchtime manager.

Cavaliere hopes to own a seafood restaurant on the water, somewhere on a beach on a tropical island.

“I see that as the best way to do farm-to-table,” he said. “Something that was swimming this morning, you’re never going to get anything more fresh.”

Kristel Cielo

Kristel Cielo said her appointment as an Aramark Scholar gives her hands-on experience before entering the real world. She is the assistant manager of Vita Nova, and her role is to mentor the other students and help when things in the restaurant get busy.

“Not only is it a great experience, but it also gives me a competitive edge with my resume,” Cielo said. “It is a unique experience that strengthens what I've learned in previous classes and allows me to apply them to a real situation.”

Cielo hopes to someday own a restaurant or bar of her own. She says that this goal was inspired by her parents, restaurant owners who she described as achieving their version of the American Dream after emigrating from Mexico.

“Seeing [my parents] work hard everyday to keep their dream alive and be able to provide a better lifestyle for my brothers and I really made me appreciate everyone who works in this industry,” Cielo said.

Sarah Gewirtz

Sarah Gewirtz is the social media Aramark Scholar, which means she is responsible for sharing what goes on at Vita Nova to the restaurant’s followers, whether that be on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, through a blog or YouTube.

Gerwitz said that all of the opportunities made possible through the Aramark Scholars program, like networking with the managers and chefs in the program, managing other students and getting to know the other Aramark Scholars, inspired her to pursue a future in the hospitality industry.

“Seeing how passionate all of our managers and chefs are about what they do every day made me realize that this might be something that I am indeed interested in,” Gewirtz said. “My ultimate dream is to someday open up my own bakery.”

Maya Goldstein

Becoming an Aramark Scholar made Maya Goldstein feel confident and honored to be selected for such a well-respected position in the hospitality major. As an Aramark Scholar, Goldstein is in charge of preparing Vita Nova’s lunch buffet and helping to teach students enrolled in the lunch lab course.

Goldstein, who hopes to attend culinary school after graduation, said that she loves the culinary arts but that she also loves working with others in the front of the house.

“I know I want to pursue some sort of career that involves food, maybe catering, because I love interacting with people as well as cooking in the back of the kitchen,” Goldstein said.

David Jeong

“[The program] allows us to be leaders in a restaurant that is run only by students and provides real-life work experience,” Aramark Scholar David Jeong said.

Jeong has always wanted a career in the hospitality industry, and hopes to one day own his own food truck.

“My parents have always been an inspiration to me, regarding food and everything else,” he said. “I chose hospitality business management as my major to combine my two passions: international business and food.”

Jamie Montgomery

Jamie Montgomery felt a confidence boost from the opportunity to become an Aramark Scholar. She was “completely shocked and honored,” she said, when she was selected for the internship.

“The program gives me a chance to get some hands-on managing experience with my peers,” Montgomery said. “[This] is great because I get to learn how I can interact with them in a position of authority but also as a peer.”

Montgomery said that she knew she wanted to be part of the hospitality industry during her first year at UD, when she learned what a strong and involved hospitality management program UD offers. She hopes to someday own her own restaurant.

“My favorite thing is that there is always opportunities to try and create new things,” Montgomery said. “It is an amazing creative outlet, and learning about it is a never-ending adventure.”

Michael Schietroma

As one of Vita Nova’s student managers, Michael Schietroma hones his managerial skills and learns more about the hospitality industry. This includes facilitating service and managing his fellow students.

“This program has given me incredible opportunities to learn more about restaurant operations and, more specifically, fine dining and the overall guest experience,” he said.

He added that career opportunities in the hospitality industry are endless, and the sheer number of possibilities makes it hard to choose just one career path. But Schietroma is certain that he wants to open his own restaurant one day.

Sarah Zug

Hospitality student Sarah Zug said that she was honored to see that all of her hard work was noticed when she was selected to be an Aramark Scholar. As a student manager, Zug is responsible for Vita Nova’s Bistro and assisting with dining room operations.

“My favorite thing about being the front-of-house Aramark Scholar is walking around the dining room and talking to our guests about their service experience,” Zug said. She is still deciding what career path she wants, but she certainly has a love for the hospitality industry.

“For my first job, I worked as a visitor experience associate at the Hershey Story Museum,” Zug said. “I was a front desk agent, and through this position I realized that I loved being able to be a part of someone’s vacation or special trip. This job sparked my interest in the industry.”