Alumni Testimonial: Melvina Saye’s UDS Journey in Hotel Management (2019) and Catering (2024)

On October 16, 2024, Heather Cannon—Co-Founder and Executive Director—met Melvina M Saye, a 2020 Hotel Management Graduate, and 2024 Catering Student.

Left to right: Heather Cannon and Melvina Saye

Melvina heard about UDS on the radio during recruitment in 2019 and enrolled in Hotel Management.

Before she graduated in 2020 (and before COVID-19), she was one of four UDS students who received an internship at the Kailando Hotel near our school. She was employed for one year.

She wanted to return to UDS and learn catering, which became possible in January 2024. Soon she will graduate and hopes to find a job. If not, she will become self-employed.

In Part 1 of 3, Melvina introduced herself and shared how in 2019 she heard about UDS over the radio and enrolled in Hotel Management, because of the 50% scholarship.

In Part 2 of 3, Melvina shared how she received an internship with three other UDS students at Kailando Hotel before they graduated in 2020. She was employed at the hotel for one year. Melvina returned to UDS in 2024 to learn catering and will graduate later this year. She hopes to find a job in this trade.

In Part 3 of 3, Melvina explained why her friends and young people should learn a trade at UDS. She mentioned that other schools don’t teach like UDS. She shared how she lives near another catering school, but they cannot teach at UDS’s level.

Melvina is one of many students who returned to UDS to learn another skill. She stressed how valuable learning trade skills is at a reputable school like Uniting Distant Stars Vocational Training Center (UDSVTC).

Left to right: Heather Cannon and Melvina Saye