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Meng-Wei Hsu speaks at EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality

Meng-Wei Hsu is Cornell Dining's general manager for retail operations, and he's just returned from his 25th class reunion at the EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality in Switzerland, where he was a guest speaker focusing on his path from a professional degree to his current GM role.

After graduating from the EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality in Passugg in 1997, Meng-Wei headed to Rhode Island and earned an MBA at Johnson & Wales University, then focused on the challenge of pursuing limited work opportunities as an international student at a time when few employers would sponsor a visa.Meng-Wei was able to speak to his classmates about how he became a leader in a country that was foreign to him, coming as he did from a different cultural background via a college education in Switzerland.

A person poses for a selfie in front of a school building with a tree-covered hillside beyond
 

His experience leading a team full of Chinese immigrants at the Native American owned and operated Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, then as a general manager for Olive Garden, at the time the largest restaurant chain in the U.S., helped ease the transition when he came to Cornell in 2014 and began managing at various levels in Cornell Dining's retail eateries.

Meng-Wei told his classmates about his philosophy to always learn, always refine his leadership style, always find ways to improve himself, and remember that the journey is more meaningful than titles and positions along the way. "This allows me to continue to grow without putting a cap on my professional journey," he says.

About Cornell Dining

Cornell Dining is consistently ranked in the Princeton Review's top ten for best campus food among all colleges and universities in the country! That high rating comes from customer surveys, and reflects Cornell Dining's commitment to serving high-quality foods that are healthy and creatively prepared with genuine care for a diverse community. Cornell Dining operates over 30 on-campus eateries -- which include residential dining rooms, cafés, coffeehouses, food courts, and convenience stores -- and serves more than 23,000 meals a day to members of the Cornell community. For more information, visit dining.cornell.edu.