SHL Alum Spotlight: Ian McMillan

 After ten years in the food industry, I transitioned to teaching. I spent a large part of the ten years with Aramark in various roles managing numerous food service operations.

Currently, I am in my second year teaching food, nutrition, culinary, and hospitality classes at Ayden Grifton High School, just a stone’s throw away from ECU. A huge part of my success was the partnership that ECU had with Aramark, which enabled me to gain experience while in college. My education and professional experiences helped me to secure a job. My education and work experience help me daily to provide students with real-world examples.

As part of my role in teaching the leaders of tomorrow, I have returned to ECU to complete requirements for Residency Licensure. Without my exposure and education from the School of Hospitality Leadership, I would not have been afforded the opportunity to step into the classroom. As part of growing as a leader, I serve as a Key Beginning Teacher for my school and the district by providing support and mentorship to other new teachers. Additionally, I serve as the facilitator for my Professional Learning Community, in which I lead a group of peers in improving our educational instruction to challenge the minds of today’s youth.