He is a world traveler and a published photographer. He was an intern to Senator Judd Gregg on Capitol Hill. He has experience working with former UNH Interim President J. Bonnie Newman. He is affiliated with both UNH and national organizations. He has studied throughout Europe, lived in Cyprus, and participated in a Global Business Program abroad. Ben Justice is a senior undergraduate student studying Hospitality Management at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics…
- Who is Ben Justice? [1]
- What is Ben’s Internship experience? [2]
- What is Ben’s experience abroad? [3]
- Which professors and courses at WSBE have influenced Ben the most? [4]
- What has Ben’s experience at WSBE been like? [5]
Ben Justice is a senior Hospitality Management major. Originally from Gorham, Maine, Ben decided to come to the Whittemore School as a freshman because he believed it had “one of the best hospitality programs in the country,” and he knew he would get a well-rounded education at UNH. Ben was eager to enter a hospitality program which offers hands on experience, has a hotel right on campus, requires practicum hours, and provides outstanding classroom instruction.
Ben is affiliated with many well-known organizations, including: UNH Eta Sigma Delta, an International Hospitality Management Society; UNH Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program; and Leadershape, a National Leadership Program, to name a few. He was awarded the University of New Hampshire’s Movers and Shakers Award in 2005 during his first year at UNH, and he was a UNH Resident Assistant in 2007.
What is Ben’s Internship experience?
With the help of his already distinguished resume and a letter of recommendation from then Interim President J. Bonnie Newman, Ben was hired as an intern to work with Senator Judd Gregg on Capitol Hill during the summer of 2007. Through his internship, Ben was able to see how the government operates “behind the scenes” and learn more about the nation’s history. Ben often gave NH constituents tours of the capital city and became Senator Gregg’s number one summer tour guide.
By working on Capitol Hill, Ben was able to enhance his networking skills and obtain more knowledge about the government and politics. He believes that the Whittemore School helped him prepare for this internship because he was able to apply his knowledge of how businesses run to his work as an intern. Ben says, “… Capitol Hill is just one big business, it was all about networking, creating deals, balancing the budget, trying to get the most out of your dollar, marketing and advertising your plan to the public, and making the customer or the constituent satisfied.”
What is Ben’s experience abroad? 
When Ben heard about the opportunity to study abroad through WSBE and UNH, he knew it was something he was interested in. He really wanted to participate in a program that traveled to several different countries worldwide. When he discovered Global Learning Semesters, a program that travels to 12 European Countries and 25 major international cities, he immediately signed up. His host location for the semester was Nicosia, Cyprus.
During his semester studying in Europe, Ben created many networks, including a business relationship with a professor at the University of Nicosia who used Ben’s photographs in one of his published books and plans to use more photographs in future publications. He also formed a relationship with a fellow student on the trip, and they will be working together with the United Nations to pilot a UN Headline News program that will broadcast news clips from around the globe.
Ben recently participated in a Global Business Semester, where he studied the globalization of the world through international business, international finance, international hospitality law, international marketing, and cultural geography courses. His travel destinations included Cyprus, England, France, Jordan, India, China, and Thailand. During the semester, Ben met the High Commissioner of India, company CEO’s, business partners, and politicians throughout Europe and Asia, which helped him learn more about global markets.
Ben feels that many of the courses he has taken in WSBE have emphasized diversity and culture, which has helped him understand the global marketplace during his time abroad. He also believes that his courses taught him to look at things on a deeper level, and because of this he has analyzed and critiqued restaurants, hotels, flights, and other services he has experienced along his trip. While studying abroad, Ben says he has been able to “… see things that we were talking about in the classroom take place around the world.”
Ben highly recommends studying abroad to his classmates. He feels that “…when you study abroad, you come back a changed person.” While studying abroad, he was able to see the world and learn at the same time. He also learned a lot from the students and people he met during his travels. Ben believes that one of the most important skills he acquired during his time abroad was how to understand and cope with cultural differences, which is extremely important in the global economy.
Which professors and courses at WSBE have influenced Ben the most?
When asked which WSBE faculty and staff members have made the greatest difference so far in his college career, Ben replied “all of the Hospitality professors and staff are amazing.” However, he feels that Carl Lindblade and Udo Schlentrich particularly stand out in his mind, saying they “…have more passion for the hospitality industry than any two people I have ever met.” This passion inspires Ben to learn and challenge himself. He has also enjoyed the courses they taught the most out of all the courses he has taken.
According to Ben, the Advanced Food and Beverage Operations Management course is the most influential course he has taken so far. Advanced Food and Beverage Operations Management is a hospitality course that integrates management principles and techniques in the presentation of large scale gourmet dinners. During the semester, students organize two full-scale gourmet dinners. When Ben took the class, he was the Back of the House Manager for the first dinner and the Executive Chef for the second dinner. Although the course was time-consuming and required dedication, it provided Ben with a wonderful learning experience.
What has Ben’s experience at WSBE been like?
Ben has had a positive experience at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. He has made the most of his time during his college career, and sincerely recommends that students get involved and use the university’s resources that are available. He states: “UNH and WSBE have built a strong foundation for me to go out into the world, and now from this point on I can only build upon this foundation. I hope to someday return to the University of New Hampshire and WSBE and give back to the university everything that it has given to me, and to help other young students take advantage of every wonderful and amazing opportunity this institution has to offer.”
*Photographs for this story were provided by Ben Justice.