About Katrina

Hometown:
Madison, VA

University Partner:
Cornell University

Degree:
Hotel Administration

Grant Partner:
Union Square Hospitality Group

Senior Mentor:
Randy Garutti

"The biggest difference between Steamboat and other internships is that this is so much more than just an internship or job. It's a lot about who we are as people and growing into well-rounded adults. There's much more of a personal element involved in the process, and it makes it so much more rewarding than just having a once-in-a lifetime opportunity for a job."

Scholar Background

Growing up in a small town Katrina was surrounded by southern-style hospitality from a young age. From her first job in a family-owned pizza parlor, she discovered her passion for people and decided to pursue a career in the service industry. While at Cornell, Katrina has been extremely involved in her student chapter of The Club Manager's Association of America, including attending multiple conferences and serving on the executive board. This club provided many opportunities to tour and work in various country clubs, giving Katrina a specialized insight on the hospitality industry. Most recently, she helped manage the food service operations for the summer at Westchester Country Club’s Beach Club. There she was responsible for supervising around 40 employees, conducting schedule and payroll operations, hiring employees, and aiding in purchasing. Katrina studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain her junior year of college. She is also an active member of her sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and enjoys running and reading in her free time.

Internship Description

This summer, Katrina was given the chance to see both the operational and administrative side of the rapidly expanding Shake Shack Enterprises. Between spending time working at the Battery Park City Shake Shack during its opening week and then commuting to Westport, CT to help open the Shack there, Katrina was able to get a partial glimpse at what it takes to open a restaurant. While in the office, Katrina worked alongside senior mentor Randy Garutti on a variety of tasks. Some of these included helping introduce new allergy training initiatives, creating a proposal for the future guest loyalty program, performing menu analysis on custard sales as well as categorical popularity, and aiding in the creation of social media reports to be generated for use at various levels within the company. One of the highlights of her summer was being able to travel to Philadelphia with some of the Shake Shack crew to cook at a fundraiser for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a foundation dedicated to raising money for children’s cancer research. Katrina loved having the opportunity to work with a company that produced not only top-quality food, but that also prioritized its team and community.

Where are they now?

Katrina is currently finishing her senior year to Cornell University.