Copyright © 2006 NLThomas
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News from the Cherokee Nation, OK
Copyright © 2006 CNO
CATOOSA, OKLAHOMA – Cherokee Casino and Resort employee Stephanie Meeder is the first to complete a program in Hospitality Management through the University Nevada Las Vegas graduate program. The Cherokee Nation is working in partnership UNLV on the graduate school project. The program that is the first of its kind for this area.
Stephanie Meeder 
Meeder, a front office manager for the Cherokee Casino and Resort hotel, has completed requirements for the University of Las Vegas Master’s Graduate Program. The distant learning program began in the fall of 2003 for Cherokee students employed by the tribe who are interested in careers in the hotel, hospitality and food and beverage industries.
“We are proud of the success of the UNLV program here and proud of Stephanie’s accomplishment,” said Cherokee Nation Enterprises CEO David Stewart. “We know the program will continue to graduate Cherokee students who will be our future business leaders.”
Thirteen students in Catoosa and Tahlequah are enrolled in the UNLV course and take classes using distance-learning equipment so that Cherokee Nation Enterprises and Cherokee Nation employees can take classes more conveniently. Meeder and other UNLV Master’s Graduate Program students have been using interactive televisions in a conference room in Catoosa to take UNLV courses.
“The program helped my understanding of how hotel and casino-resort properties operate. We studied human resources aspects which helped me understand the HR process, and finance, which helped me better understand budgets,” Meeder said. “Indian gaming is growing and earning my master’s degree should put me one step above everyone else with management opportunities.”
Meeder has worked for Cherokee Casino and Resort for three years and has a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University in meetings and destinations management.
“I had been wanting to get a master’s degree in hotel management for years but there was no school in the area that offered a hospitality and hotel management degree,” she said. “So, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take graduate classes here.”
Meeder said she is talking to other employees about taking fall classes with the UNLV Master’s Graduate Program.
“I tell them about the opportunities they would have once they earn their degree,” she said. “I also tell them I completed the program while working full-time and helping raise three children. If I can do it, they can.”
In Oklahoma, the hospitality, tourism and recreation industry had the 15th highest number of employees. Four Tulsa-area Indian casinos provide a large number of those jobs. Cherokee Casino and Resort employs approximately 1,600 people in this industry.
Manager of Education and Development for Cherokee Casinos Doyle Paden envisions more CNE and Cherokee Nation employees will prepare for management positions in the future by taking the UNLV course.
Of the 13 students currently enrolled in the course; eight more will graduate the program in May, he said.
“I think it’s fantastic that three years after we started the program we now have our first graduate. It means the program is stable,” Paden said.
Paden said the Cherokee Nation is providing a “good opportunity” for Cherokee people to train for management and is making the training more convenient.
“The master’s graduate program provides education to people that are employees of Cherokee Nation business entities, but it is also provides a way to look for future leaders and prepare them for leadership positions,” he said.
| Related Cherokee Nation contact information: |
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Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |