I am very happy to announce the appointment of Claire Vroom '26 and Matthew Merrill '26 as Dean’s Assistants. Claire and Matthew bring wonderful qualifications to the position. I am confident that they will represent the Nolan Hotel School well in this important student leadership role
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Kate Walsh, Dimond Family Dean and E. M. Statler Professor
Dean's assistants for academic year 2025 - 2026
Claire Vroom '26
Claire Vroom is a senior in the Nolan School of Hotel Administration with a minor in real estate. On campus, she serves as a General Consultant for the Nolan Communication Center, is on the Executive Board of the Cornell Nightlife Hospitality Club, and is a member of the Hotel Student Mentorship Program. For the past three years, Claire has been a diver on the Cornell Varsity Women’s Swimming & Diving team and is an inducted member of the Varsity Athletics 400 Club. She also served as a Course Assistant for the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series.
Off-campus, Claire interned at Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa in hotel operations and River Bend Golf & Country Club in the event planning department. This summer, she joined Eastdil Secured as a Summer Analyst and is eager to pursue her passion for the commercial real estate banking industry. In her free time, Claire enjoys painting, baking, and exploring sustainability initiatives. As she takes on the role of Dean’s Assistant, Claire is eager to bring her leadership and passion for community building to make a lasting impact on the Hotel School and its students.
Isabella Suffredini '25
Matthew Merril is a senor at the Nolan School of Hotel Administration, where he is concentrating in Beverage Management with minors in Information Science (UX Design) and Human Development. Within the Hotel School, he has contributed as Design Director of the 100th Hotel Ezra Cornell, a member of the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, a Nolan Ambassador, and a mentor in the Hotel School Mentorship Program.
Beyond Nolan, Matthew shares his passion for F&B as a digital creator with an audience of over 2.7 million followers. He serves as President of Last Call A Cappella, writes for Crème de Cornell, and leads community initiatives, such as Collegetown Neighborhood Collective, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit supporting the Collegetown community and local small businesses and Restorative Rhythms, a service group performing music at local senior living centers.
Grounded in the Nolan School’s founding belief that Life is Service, Matthew views hospitality not only as an industry, but as a lifelong practice of leadership, and seeks to showcase how a passion for service improves all aspects of life.
