Toni-Ann Osbourne
Degree: Master of Science in Hospitality Management
College/School: Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Working as a nurse in Jamaica, Toni-Ann Osbourne always wanted to help people, but the formidable life-and-death reality of a hospital setting grew too morbid for her. She changed careers and went into the service industry, where she could put her interpersonal skills to good use.
Leaving home to pursue higher education in the United States, Toni-Ann chose Miami due to its proximity to the Caribbean and her family. To complete her degree, Toni-Ann had to rally her strength and faith in God to push through. Living in Loxahatchee, an hour-and-a-half away from FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus, made it difficult to balance school, work and her personal life. But she persevered, impressing instructors with her academic work and positive, can-do attitude, as well as involvement in activities like the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
A first-generation college student, after graduation, Toni-Ann will spend the next year working at the Four Seasons Surf Club in Miami Beach handling employee relations.
Toni-Ann hopes to return to Jamaica in a few years, where she plans to start – along with her boyfriend – the “Go Back, Give Back” initiative to mentor children and ensure they achieve a world-class education, eventually with the assistance of scholarships. Her goal is to encourage the children to then use what they learned in college to help uplift Jamaica.
By Lourdes Perez
Media Relations Specialist, Office of Media Relations