Hood MBA Candidate Hits a “Hole-In One”!

Hood College is excited to share another Blazer success story: Alyssa Eshleman, with two undergraduate degrees from Hood under her belt and nearing completion of her MBA, is the new Assistant General Manager at the Maryland National Golf Club.

Alyssa’s hard work is paying off. She began her journey at Maryland National five years ago as a part-time server and beverage cart attendant. Following graduation in 2013 she was promoted to Restaurant Manager on Duty. Her climb continued as she became Assistant Food & Beverage Director, Director of Sales & Marketing, Food & Beverage Director, and now Assistant General Manager. At each step in her climb, she’s faced new challenges, but her strong work ethic and willingness to learn have always given her the tools to overcome anything thrown her way.

In her current role as the Assistant General Manager, Alyssa maintains a staff of 14-50 workers, organizes budgets and goals for multiple departments, oversees the business’ daily operations, and works to train and develop new team members. Furthermore, Alyssa continues as the Director of Sales & Marketing, where she develops and implements annual sales and marketing plans aimed at growing the Maryland National brand. She also serves as the “face of the operation” meeting with new and potential customers both on-site and at networking events.

Moving ahead, Alyssa looks forward to graduating with her master’s in the spring, after which she’ll shift her focus towards growing her hands-on experience and eventually opening her own business in the hospitality industry. She says “Hood College, its exceptional faculty, and its challenging curriculum are all very much the reasons behind my success. I’ve learned so much about what it takes to be successful—hard work, strong communication, and a lot of dedication—and I wouldn’t be where I am today without such key life lessons throughout my education.”

Work isn’t all that Alyssa is about. “I coach a 16 travel volleyball team out of Charles Town, WV. I’ve been with Potomac Elite Volleyball Club since its inception in 2010 and have loved watching the girls grow as athletes and young women. I’m always amazed by the influence we as coaches have over these ladies, and I hope to make a positive impact on each of them, as I encourage them to push themselves on and off the court, to be not only good athletes but also good people, and to work hard in everything they do.

Representing Maryland National, Alyssa is part of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce, Restaurant Association of Maryland, and the Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce.