Senan Goundjo photo

Senan Goundjo, 2016 & 2015 Scholarship Recipient…Two-Time Award Winner!

Meet our Two-Time Scholarship Winner in 2015 and 2016!
Mr. Senan Goundjo
As most of you know, I volunteer on a number of boards, and enjoy them all.  But MTEF is a labor of love.  Being able to give back to the industry that has been so good to me is always a pleasure.

Senan GoundjoSelecting a scholarship recipient every year is hard. This year was no different. Reading through the essays, employment history, and the hopes and dreams of applicants is both refreshing and exhausting. Especially, when we know that only one individual can be chosen.

This year, MTEF’s Board of Directors are pleased to announce the 2016  MTEF Scholarship winner is the same gentleman as our 2015 winner, Mr. Senan Goundjo, who resides in Lanham, MD and attends Montgomery College in Rockville. He attended the Trans-Africa College in Ghana, Africa from 2006-2009 and earned diplomas in 7 different hotel and restaurant studies. In 2009, Senan came to the United States and has since held several positions including Food and Beverage Supervisor at the Hilton Double Tree in Silver Spring. In 2014, Senan joined the team at Capital Concierge attending to the needs of condominium owners.

Working full time has not stopped Senan from continuing his education at Montgomery College, majoring in General Studies. He hopes to transfer into the Hospitality degree program at the Universities at Shady Grove in the near future.

“I have achieved good grades while working full time, so I am skilled with multitasking my duties and responsibilities,” says Senan. “After nearly 10 years, employed in a variety of settings, I have maintained my passion for this field. I intend to make the most of this scholarship by completing my studies and attaining my goal to become a Food and Beverage Director in an international hotel company.”

He also expressed in his recent scholarship application that he has been “blessed by those who were mentors to me in hospitality, and I would like to be a mentor to others coming into the industry.”

What our Board found really impressive in Senan’s scholarship essay was his last paragraph, which states:

“I plan to give back what I receive. Hospitality has offered me great opportunities, and as a growing industry, it has much to offer those seeking careers. I was blessed by those who were mentors to me in hospitality, and I would like to be a mentor to others.”

The Board was convinced Senan should be our scholarship recipient AGAIN in 2016. After having the pleasure of seeing Senan again at Tourism Day in Annapolis, we know we chose wisely.

Senan and Deb CarterMeeting Senan just confirms that the people we are trying to inspire with our scholarships are the ones that end up inspiring us.  In fact, it just may be that our lives are even more impacted  than theirs.

Yours in tourism,
Deb Carter, President