秘密研究所

Career Start at the 鈥楺ueen of Southern Resorts鈥�

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Posted on June 29, 2023

Thomas Becnel

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#MyFirstJob is a series focused on recent graduates of the 秘密研究所.

Virginia Arata left Mobile after high school, then returned to the University of South Alabama for a degree in hospitality and tourism management. Now she鈥檚 starting her career on the Eastern Shore as a beverage supervisor at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa.

Family history plays a part in her career path.

Arata鈥檚 grandfather, Pedro Mandoki, was a celebrated hotelier who managed Callaway Gardens in Georgia and owned Plantation Resort Management in Gulf Shores before being named to the Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame.

鈥淗e was my favorite person in the world,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 always wanted to be like him. So I thought I could do this, I could work in hospitality, and honor him.鈥�

At South, Arata impressed Amanda Donaldson, an instructor in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management. She recommended Arata for an internship at the Grand Hotel, 鈥渢he Queen of Southern Resorts,鈥� a historic landmark built in 1847. Generations of Alabama families return each year to the Point Clear institution overlooking Mobile Bay.

Student work at the Grand Hotel turned into a full-time position for Arata after graduation in May.

鈥淚t鈥檚 my dream job, I love every minute of it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 out in the sun all day and I鈥檓 constantly meeting people and making connections. Our peak season just started, so I run around greeting guests, making sure people are relaxed and happy, making sure operations are running smoothly.鈥�

During her internship, Arata got a feel for the Eastern Shore resort. She also did research on the Grand Hotel for one of her tourism management courses.

鈥淭hese are things I use, actually, in my job,鈥� she said.

Last summer, Arata traveled to Perugia, Italy, between Rome and Florence, for a Study Abroad program on culture, cuisine and international hospitality. She visited small hotels and five-star establishments. She encountered European ideas of service and welcome.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot different from the Southern hospitality that we鈥檙e used to,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not really the customer-is-always-right method. It鈥檚 more like, we鈥檙e going to tell you what you want, and we鈥檙e going to do everything for you.鈥�

 Donaldson got to know her student better during the Study Abroad program.

鈥淰irginia is an amazing individual,鈥� Donaldson said. 鈥淪he was always so quiet in class, but she showed me her true self over three weeks in Italy. She is hard-working, sarcastically funny and fun-loving, and she is going to do great things!鈥�

A New Perspective

Arata grew up in Mobile. She was a good student. At McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, she took advanced-placement courses in the St. Thomas Aquinas Academy.

Her parents played tennis. So did she. Though she stands just 5-foot-1, Arata played singles on the girls varsity team at McGill.

鈥淚 was a Chihuahua,鈥� she said, laughing. 鈥淎lways moving around and making weird noises.鈥�

After high school, Arata left Mobile for college. During the COVID pandemic, she did not enjoy Zoom courses or remote learning. She transferred to the University of South Alabama in search of smaller classes and a more personal experience.

鈥淚 got to know all of my professors,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think I got a whole new perspective on Mobile and Fairhope.鈥�

As a Jaguar, Arata worked her way through college at a fast-food restaurant on Dauphin Street.  This was her start in the hospitality industry.

鈥淚f you wanted to work in management, you had to do all the jobs, so I fried the chicken and washed the dishes and did everything else,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wanted to rush through my classes and earn my degree. I wanted to finish college and go to work.鈥�

This summer, Arata moved to Fairhope, which is near her new job. She likes it. She finds the Eastern Shore quiet and peaceful.

She doesn鈥檛 have much time for tennis these days. In her spare time, she reads fantasy novels and murder mysteries.

When her grandfather died in 2019, there were obituaries and articles that praised Pedro Mandoki for his leadership, humility and sense of humor. His family also shared fond memories.

鈥淗e was always kind,鈥� Arata said. 鈥淗e always made time for us. Every Saturday night, we鈥檇 have dinner at his house.鈥�

She remembers 鈥淕randaddy鈥� taking her on birthday trips when she was a little girl. Travel was part of their lives. Not matter where they went, he made sure there was a birthday cake.

鈥淗e knew everyone in the hospitality industry, so we were always cared for in the best possible way,鈥� Arata said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I want to do for people.鈥�

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