Setting the Standard: UVA Wise’s First Hospitality and Tourism Management Student Leaves Her Mark

Olyvia Fleming is no stranger to firsts. From joining UVA Wise’s inaugural track and field team as a thrower to becoming its first declared hospitality and tourism management major, she is shaping the future of the College, one first at a time.

During her senior year of high school, Fleming learned that UVA Wise was launching its first-ever track and field team. Excited at the prospect of helping build a brand-new program, she began considering her college options carefully.

“I know of a lot of athletes who have been recruited by smaller schools that are very expensive, so I ended up choosing UVA Wise because it was the most affordable option,” Fleming said.

A native of Kingsport, Tennessee, with family close by the College, Fleming felt like UVA Wise was the perfect fit.

Once she arrived at the College, she began exploring her academic interests and soon discovered her place within the business and economics department. While meeting with Gurkan Akalin, UVA Wise professor of business analytics and department chair, she realized that the hospitality and tourism management major aligned best with her interests and social nature.

UVA Wise debuted the major in 2024, offering a comprehensive curriculum with courses ranging from casino management to hotel and lodging management.

Upon joining the major, she became the first advisee of Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management Cherry Brewer, forming an early academic connection that has helped guide her path from the start.

“It has been really awesome being able to work closely with both Professor Akalin and Professor Brewer,” Fleming began. “They have really listened to my perspective on how my journey is going so far and I feel valued as a student. I’ve also had the opportunity to talk about the major to some of my friends, so I feel like I have been able to contribute to the program in my own way.”

Fleming has had no shortage of opportunities since settling into the major. This fall, she had the opportunity to become a teaching assistant for Brewer through the UVA Wise Elevated Internship program, where she has been able to assist in both Global Cuisines and Cultures and Foundations of Business courses. From preparing food tastings to keeping time during presentations, she has gotten to see what it is like in the classroom from the opposite end of the spectrum.

Fleming reflected on the insight she has learned as a teaching assistant, saying it has given her a deeper appreciation for the work her professors do.

“I definitely think professors work a lot harder than I ever realized,” Fleming said. “Professor Brewer works so hard behind the scenes, and it has been really awesome to see how she plans and executes everything.”

That insight, paired with her growing confidence in the major, set the stage for another milestone: serving as a hospitality intern at Biltmore Farms in Asheville, N.C., this past summer.

Moving to Asheville was a big step for Fleming, who had never lived on her own or apart from her twin sister, Sydney, who is also a student at UVA Wise. But stepping out on her own ultimately gave her the confidence she needed to embrace everything her internship offered.

Fleming spent the summer working alongside a small cohort of hospitality interns and rotated through each department of the hotel. She began at the front desk, where she learned daily operations and gained enough experience to work independently. Her rotations through food and beverage, housekeeping, maintenance and banquets exposed her to the full scope of hotel operations, from preparing guest rooms to supporting events and observing managerial responsibilities. In the final weeks, she had the chance to revisit departments she connected with or spend time in the corporate offices. She chose to do both, shadowing the human resources team and returning to the front desk, the role she enjoyed the most.

“One of the biggest things I’ve learned this summer was professionalism,” Fleming said. “I’d never had a role where I had to consistently dress and act professionally. I also learned so much with my time in HR, which sparked my interest in that field. Working in each department really gave me a thorough understanding of each position and helped me develop empathy for everyone in the operation.”

Now in her final year at the College, Fleming has taken the lessons from her internship back to campus, speaking at the second annual Southwest Virginia Internship summit about her experiences. She remains deeply involved in campus life as a tutor, teaching assistant, athlete and in other leadership roles, continuing to leave her mark across multiple areas.

“Olyvia has become an ambassador for the HTM program without ever being asked to,” Brewer said when asked to describe her experience with Olyvia. “Her passion for hospitality and tourism, combined with her professionalism, makes her a model for future students. Watching her grow since declaring HTM has been one of the most rewarding parts of my time with the program.”

Looking ahead, Fleming plans to work at the Inn at Wise over the upcoming break and will begin pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership and performance management at Tusculum University next fall.

Since launching in fall 2024, the hospitality and tourism management program has steadily grown, attracting more students each semester and expanding opportunities for hands-on learning, internships and other professional development ventures.