Matthew Jones

Kelly Simmons

As a hotel front desk clerk, Jones, from Woodstock, Ga., is ready to welcome guests.
Photographer Ezequiel Korin

The UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel can be the first stop for prospective students and incoming freshmen in Athens for orientation.
One of the first people they may meet is Matthew Jones, who interned and later served as a lead student assistant at the hotel’s front desk.

“Since the Georgia Center can be a person’s very first interaction with the University of Georgia, it is important that I, and the rest of the staff, make sure that we present and uphold an excellent view of the university,” says Jones, who completed his bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Food Industry Management (HFIM).

Jones says he engages visitors by asking about their interests and potential majors, and offering helpful information.

“Some of the ways I do that include letting them know about popular places around campus, offering dining recommendations … providing campus maps and directions,” he says.

He got a lot of tips from the Georgia Center’s front desk supervisor team, who acted as his mentors while he was an intern and student worker. They provided guidance for dealing with unexpected situations, and how to respond to hotel guests who may be unhappy, so that they maintain a good image of the hotel.

When he finished his last class in August 2024, Jones planned to look for full-time work.

“I’m hoping to get into a (hotel) manager’s training program, become a manager and move up,” Jones says. His experience at the Georgia Center has prepared him for success, he says.

You can make a guest’s experience go from good to exceptional just by going the extra mile.