The Best teacher I ever had

Mr. Nikola Bogdan BENOIT

‘The little details are the ones which make the difference.’ He used to say this almost every day while he was teaching us. Nikola Bogdan BENOIT was one of the finest teachers I ever had. He’s very smart, but he doesn’t show it, and very humble that everybody feels comfortable talking to him. He's passionate about two things, the first one is the hospitality industry and the second is teaching about it passionately. His passion for teaching is inspiring. He spoke with such enthusiasm and made every single lesson relate to the students. I have not met one student who disliked him. Everyone I knew had a great time in his classroom. He made the hotel business easy to understand with the solid training and experience that he has had. At that time, when I was struggling to learn the French language, that it was so hard for me to understand the subject matter. But he made it possible with his manners that are very methodical that makes you feel confident and do more because you don’t feel judged. He set the principles that are so foundational and inextricably linked to my work now: service, empathy, innovation, active listening, and equity. So many lessons have stuck with me throughout my daily work (so much so that when I have impostor syndrome, I think ‘Niko in the classroom!’).