Once a semester, Lori Sloan, assistant professor of communication, and Ellis Sloan, assistant professor of business, host an etiquette dinner for groups of students to prepare them for business dinners. An etiquette dinner for business and communication majors was hosted Oct. 16 at the Searcy Country Club. The event included a five-course meal, and students participated as if they were attending a business dinner with a future employer.
The Sloans plan and host the dinner, with financial aid from the Center for Professional Excellence (CPE) office. Throughout the dinner, the Sloans discussed tips such as which utensils are used for what dishes, where to put one’s napkin and how to politely leave the table. Details like these are helpful for students looking for internships and jobs. Lori Sloan is often contacted by former students who tell how her tips help them in their work.
“I think by learning these tips it makes students become more flexible and have confidence to maneuver through situations that might not go as they expected,” Sloan said. “My favorite saying is ‘blessed are the flexible for they should never get out of shape.”
Junior Abby Fulmer attended the dinner for the first time this semester. Afterwards, Fulmer said she feels significantly more prepared for future business dinners.
“I learned a lot of valuable information, but one thing that stuck with me is Mrs. Sloan’s emphasis on humility and how that impacts the way you carry yourself in a business environment,” Fulmer said.
Senior Hannah Jones also attended the etiquette dinner. She said she hopes the tips she learned from the dinner will help her blend in with colleagues and employers. The etiquette lessons reminded Jones of the importance of presentation and professionalism.
“I learned the significance of networking, the importance of specific etiquette while having meals in a business environment, and how to conduct myself in a professional manner while remaining personable and polite,” Jones said.
