MSU student: Going green while making green

As concerns about climate change and the state of the environment mount, citizens and companies alike are looking for ways to be more eco-friendly, or "go green."

Marissa Montalbano, a senior at Missouri State University studying hospitality and restaurant administration, has been working with the DoubleTree hotel in Springfield to establish more sustainable operations.

"I've been Green Team president for about two months now," said Montalbano. "Part of my job is working with each department to ensure that green procedures are being followed and that items are being recycled probably, but I also think of new ways to be more sustainable each month."

Under Montalbano's supervision, the Green Team has placed recycling bins on the ninth and tenth floor where honors members stay. She hopes that clients staying on the higher floors will see the bins and be encouraged by the DoubleTree's commitment to the environment. She also had bins placed near the banquet rooms where she supervises.

"A banquet supervisor delegates tasks to employees and speaks with the client to ensure that the event is going as they planned it," said Montalbano. "Supervisors also ensure that setups and breakdowns are done efficiently and they analyze revenue for the day."

Though being promoted to supervisor took some adjustment, Montalbano loves being able to interact with clients and always keeps a positive attitude about her work.

"It's the supervisor's job to go up to clients and talk about the way their event is going to go," said Montalbano. "I hadn't had much customer service experience before I started working here. I think I picked up on it pretty quickly and realized that by having a happy staff, you'll have a happy client, too."

Though Montalbano originally planned on getting a degree in accounting, she couldn't imagine sitting behind a desk all day. After speaking with her academic adviser, she changed her major to hospitality and has been enjoying it ever since.

"The best part about this field is you always have to expect the unexpected," said Montalbano. "You never know what's going to hit you. You have to think about what's best for you and your family and kind of go with it."

Montalbano, a native of Bloomfield, New Jersey, hopes to eventually become a manager after graduation and venture into sales later in her career.

By Shay Stowell, university communications student writer