SHL Alumni Spotlight: Mary Grace Lassiter-Kennedy

A bride and groom stand together on a grassy area beside the water under a clear blue sky. The bride wears a white strapless gown and holds a bouquet of pink and white flowers, while the groom wears a light tan suit with a white shirt and tie. Both are smiling at the camera.

I was born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina, and attended East Carolina University, where I majored in hospitality management with a minor in business administration. I knew I wanted to major in hospitality management because I enjoy making others happy by hosting small get-togethers and planning and executing the details.

While at ECU, I held a summer job at Ironwood Golf and Country Club, a local country club. It was there that I made several connections that led to my internship at Rock Springs Center. At Rock Springs, I learned how to manage staff; set up, break down, and coordinate event and catering details; and work with clients to ensure their events ran smoothly. After graduation, I was promoted to assistant event coordinator and worked at Rock Springs until June 2025, when I got married and moved to Chapel Hill.

This past August, I accepted a position at Duke University as a catering coordinator for Gothic Grill and Thrive Catering. I respond to catering inquiries from campus organizations and communicate those details to the front-of-house and back-of-house teams. I lead all front-of-house operations, including setup, breakdown, and client interactions. I also help oversee front-of-house operations at Gothic Grill and step in when needed—whether as a cashier, expo, or bartender.

The School of Hospitality Leadership taught me the importance of leading by example—to be a leader, not just a manager. That lesson stands out because, in my experience, people respect you more when you prove that you work just as hard as anyone else. I also learned that first impressions matter. In an interview, it’s important to be professional but also confident in yourself and your experiences. My professors supported my academic efforts by meeting with me during office hours and encouraging me to keep working hard, reminding me that success would follow.