Nick Logel graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology in 2013. While he focused on family development as his concentration, Nick found that sociology really prepared him for working with any kind of people in the hospitality industry. Read below what he has to say about sociology and its impact on his life thus far.
When my family and I moved to the High Country in 1994, Boone and the surrounding areas became my home. As I grew up, Appalachian State was the host of many events and formed part of the backdrop of my childhood. Because of this, I never considered ASU when I started the search for where I would attend college. I eventually ended up, as many do, going to school far away from home in sunny San Diego. I enjoyed my time in California, but for a multitude of reasons (injuries and money, mainly) I found myself back home after my Freshman year. At that time going to App State was a consolation. It was amazingly affordable and close to home, but because I grew up around the campus it seemed far to familiar to me. Over the next few years I realized how wrong I was. Attending ASU was a delight. So many things I had taken for granted while living in Boone were now a very large part of my life as I enjoyed my mountain home in a whole new light. I jumped head first into the University's Sociology Program and at the end of the Summer 2013 semester, I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Sociology and a concentration in Family Development.
For me, the decision to study sociology was more about my interest in people than my desire to score a specific career. I had always enjoyed working with people and trying to understand group dynamics so sociology seemed like a logical choice. After researching the major more, I realized how transferable many of the skills taught in sociology are and how easy it is to apply concepts to a broad range of professions. Now, after graduation, I have seen these applications first hand. Like many graduates, I did not enter a sociological specific field after graduation. I have had several different jobs since then, mostly due to my penchant for travel, but sociology has been a strong interview point for each job. I am now working at the Vail Mountain Marriott Resort and Spa as a Housekeeping Supervisor. It has been easy to excel in the Hospitality Industry and my background in Sociology as played a big part in that. The Family Development concentration included courses in child psychology and family dynamics and has provided a great amount of useful knowledge when dealing with guests at a family resort. Sociology has also provided me with a good foundation when dealing with the cultural and ethnic diversity of our workforce and guests, who come from all over the world. The future holds many opportunities for me and that is one of the biggest reasons that I am happy with my sociology degree. I know wherever I find myself and whatever career I am pursuing at a given moment, I will be able to apply the knowledge I learned from my degree program. I am interested in several career possibilities, from continuing in the Hospitality Industry, to Residential and Wilderness Therapy programs all over the United States. To me, a major that emphasized social interaction and provided me flexibility in the job market was the most important. With sociology, I have exactly what I was looking for!
If Nick's story sparks an interest in sociology for you, then please contact Dr. Cameron Lippard for more information about how you can become a sociologist today!
Nick Logel
