Sometimes, it’s the things we’re told not to do in life that influence us the most. Such was the case for UNLV alumna Mary Beth Cutshall, who initially considered following in her father’s professional footsteps.

“He is a retired airline pilot, so I grew up traveling extensively,” Cutshall said. “Because my dad and I share similar personalities, at one point, I thought I wanted to be an airline pilot, too. When I told him that, he said, ‘You should expand your interests.’”

Though Cutshall heeded her father’s advice, she remained drawn to a career rooted in the travel industry. Exposed to a high school friend’s family hotel in Maine, Cutshall found her true calling.

“At 17 years old, it was clear: ‘I’m going to be in the hotel business. This is my future.’”

And what a future it turned out to be. Since earning a bachelor’s degree from UNLV — after transferring from the University of New Hampshire’s hospitality program — Cutshall has steadily advanced in her hospitality career, working in nearly every facet of the industry. That includes real estate transaction, which has been her focus for the past 14 years.

Asked to pinpoint her most impactful experience at UNLV, Cutshall zeroes in on an internship with Marriott Hotels that led to her first job offer—an offer that came well ahead of graduation.

“Going into my senior year knowing I had [a job] 10 months later — you can’t ask for anything more,” she said. “I would not have been set up like that had it not been for UNLV.”