Service industry keeps developing rapidly and is one of important sectors of national economy. Keeping up with the times, the SUSU School of Economics and Management performs training of qualified specialists on the specialty “Economics of Enterprises in the Sphere of Service, Recreation and Tourism”. One of the specialists is Maria Popkova, art manager of the Maximillians restaurant.
– Why did you choose the specialty of a restaurant service manager and enrolled in SUSU?
– I graduated from high school in a village near Magnitogorsk and decided to get enrolled in a Chelyabinsk’s university. When I saw SUSU I just fell in love with the university and I realized that I want to study here and nowhere else! I am a person of emotions; it is important for me to love the place in which I will be spending the major part of my life. I managed to get full-funding, and I thought that it must be the destiny. In the following years, I never regretted about choosing this profession.
– Maria, tell us about your job as an art manager.
– I’ve been working in restaurant business for a long time. While being a student, I started working as a waitress in the Megapolis holding company. During my last year of study I got promoted and became a manager, and soon afterwards – chief manager in the Gorki Retail and Leisure Complex where I managed four establishments of the holding group. This summer I left Megapolis and now I’m working as an art manager of the Maximillians restaurant, I am responsible for organizing concerts. As ‘stars’ of show business come to perform at our restaurant, I often have to manage organization of their performances. Aside from this, the range of responsibilities includes selection of live music bands and organizing entertainment programs. Each Friday and Saturday the restaurant holds theme parties with prizes giveaway: art manager composes a script, selects partners organizations, signs contracts, decorates photo zones, etc. I like this job because it is very creative.
– Which moments of your study years are the most memorable?
– Of course my thesis defense! I was getting ready for it very calmly and didn’t worry at all. But exactly on the day of defense I realized that a big part of my life’s history is coming to an end. I am immensely grateful to my scientific supervisor Ksenia Valeryevna Aykhel, because it was her who helped me becoming a true professional. Last semester I was invited to deliver lectures by three subjects on restaurant business at my former Department. I was happy to cooperate with the Department, talk to students and reminisce about my student life. Together we even went to Sochi to the Formula-1 Championship where we got a lot of experience.
– Which knowledge was the most useful for your job?
– All theoretical knowledge came in handy, but the most useful was practical training. The university provides the unique opportunity to try yourself in your profession thanks to practical training and cooperation with the city’s enterprises. Besides, studying at SUSU helped me developing my communicative skills.
– What are your plans for the future?
– To develop, to keep moving, to learn something new. There is so many interesting in the world, and I expect to have many things to learn, to try, to see. And of course I have a dream of opening my own restaurant.
– What can you wish for SUSU students who are now studying and who want to connect their lives with restaurant business?
At South Ural State University anyone has many opportunities to express and prove oneself. While there is time, you need to try everything to understand what you like and what you don't. Use every chance and always say ‘yes’! No need to imitate anybody, don’t look up to anyone. You need to find your way, the way that you like, and develop in the chosen direction.