Rather than building forts as a little girl, Gina Marano played “restaurant” and created pretend menus. "My prices were pretty spot on," she laughed.

But this Idaho native didn’t always want to pursue hospitality as a career. "I did some of my undergrad at the University of Arizona, majoring in microbiology." It wasn’t until she returned from a backpacking trip in Europe that she reconnected with hospitality. "I came back with an epiphany that this is what I wanted to do."

Doors began open when Marano transferred to the Harrah Hotel College. A meeting during an undergraduate class with the general manager of the House of Blues led to a year-and-a-half stint, first as a restaurant supervisor, then a restaurant manager, and finally as an operations manager for the Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay.

A love of learning lured Marano back to the college to pursue her master’s degree, which she will complete in May 2016. A love of wine culture inspired her to concurrently train to be a Level II Sommelier and make plans to someday acquire a Master Sommelier diploma.

Wine is also playing a major role in Marano’s spa project — a competition in which she and three other Harrah College students will compete against other colleges to come up with innovative, profitable spa concepts for November’s Global Spa and Wellness Summit in Mexico. "Our idea is to use vino therapy — wine, grapes and seeds—for skin treatments in an all-villa resort."

Marano says her time at UNLV has given her confidence about things to come. "The networking I've been able to do, and the friends I’ve made during the program, means so much for my future."