A Day
in the Life!
BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON
What’s it like to be an ISPA Foundation Mary Tabacchi Scholarship
recipient? Margot Mangiarotti, one of this year’s scholarship recipients,
takes Pulse back to the journey she has taken which eventually culminated
with her acceptance of the award on the General Session stage at this
year’s ISPA Conference & Expo.
student membership, and a one-year
mentorship to help and inspire them to
achieve their professional goals.
She is grateful to have Director of
Operations, Residences at the St. Regis
Aspen Julie Oliff as her assigned mentor.
“She has been so helpful and has so much
experience. We are setting up regular calls
so we will keep in touch throughout the
year,” she says.
MARGOT MANGIAROTTI
ISPA Foundation Mary Tabacchi
Scholarship Recipient
Margot Mangiarotti, along with Kelsey Brink, accepted her ISPA Foundation Mary Tabacchi
Scholarship award from ISPA Foundation Chairman Frank Pitsikalis and Cornell University Professor
Mary Tabacchi.
argot Mangiarotti, will
earn her degree in Hotel
Administration at New
York-based Cornell
University in May next year. She was a
freshman when she first heard about
Cornell University Spa Association
President Kendra Kobler being awarded
the ISPA Foundation Mary Tabacchi
Scholarship.
M
Spark of Inspiration
“I wanted to follow in Kendra’s footsteps.
Professor Mary Tabacchi also encouraged
me to apply,” Mangiarotti says. She
recalled the application process to be
detailed as there were numerous require-
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November 2016
ments to be compiled, including
recommendation letters from professors,
which is why she advises other hopeful
applicants to start preparing early for their
application.
“I wrote my essays and proofread
them multiple times before submitting.
For the interview process, I reviewed my
work and school experiences to find key
examples that represented who I am and
showed my interests,” she says.
Apart from receiving an academic
financial assistance amounting to
US$5,000, Mangiarotti and her corecipient, Kelsey Brink, were also given the
opportunity to attend the 2016 ISPA
Conference & Expo, a one-year ISPA
Conference Experience
On the day she received the award, she
recalled a deep sense of accomplishment.
“It was so cool!” she says. “Backstage at
the General Session, I was getting my
makeup done next to the ‘godmother of
spa’ Deborah Szekeley. Then, on stage,
I was in front of all these admirable
industry professionals. It was surreal.”
While the financial reward is valuable
in order to help offset her school expenses,
Mangiarotti says being able to connect
with different spa industry leaders at ISPA
Conference was priceless. “Many of them
gave me helpful advice,” she says.
“Everyone was incredibly kind and
inspirational, but it was my first time to
meet Szekely who is such an inspiration.
She spoke about the changes we need to
make in our communities and for our
environment. What she spoke about was
moving and so true!”
If there’s one takeaway that stood out
for Mangiarotti, it’s that one has to be
fearless to innovate. “Innovate was the
main theme of this year’s Conference and it
was exciting to see the direction ISPA and
the spa industry as a whole is taking as it
moves toward the future,” she says. ■