FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Weaver, Melony Ritter
(501) 760.6410 office
press@np.edu
February 4, 2016
NPC STUDENT AND RETIRED FACULTY MEMBER HONORED AT AHA BANQUET
Hot Springs, Arkansas – National Park College (NPC) student, Katherine Olis was honored with the Student of the Year award at the Garland County Chapter of the Arkansas Hospitality Association (AHA) Banquet January 27, 2016 at the Arlington Hotel. Retired NPC Hospitality program director, Karla Nardi was also honored as Educator of the Year.
Katherine Olis is from Naples, Florida. She has been in the hospitality industry for
15 years. She became interested in pursuing a career in Hospitality during her work
as a server for Cracker Barrel Country Stores. Over the past 10 years, she has expanded
her experience while working at Turf Catering and Oaklawn Racing and Gaming. Currently
a shift lead at Cracker Barrel, her drive and skills led her to apply for the Red
Shirt Training Team, a program where employees recognized as leaders travel the country
training others. Olis’ goal is to become a general manager of a Cracker Barrel store.
She has worked long hours to meet her academic goals. Certified in multiple national
exams, she has maintained a 4.0 GPA and will graduate with an Associate of Science
in Hospitality and Tourism with honors in May.
Hospitality instructor, Eve Baum Victory said, “The Student of the Year award is about
attitude, leadership, perseverance, willingness to help others, and growth.” She added,
“The winner of this award is one of the most determined individuals I have ever known.
I watched her make mistakes and work through them and come out more successful in
the end. I consider myself fortunate to have watched her grow, to see not only the
courage and drive in that hard exterior, but to come to appreciate the heart beneath
it.”
Karla Nardi was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Amarillo, Texas. After
finishing her Bachelor’s of Arts in Philosophy from Texas Tech University, she moved
to San Francisco, California. She and her husband Tony traveled extensively for his
work as a musician – from coast to coast and overseas to Europe. They chose to settle
in Hot Springs, where they have operated restaurants and earned many awards for their
service to the community. Nardi taught in the Hospitality Administration Program at
National Park College from 2002 to 2013. While at NPC, she received the Outstanding
Faculty Award and the Arkansas Community Colleges Faculty of the Year Award. She retired
from NPC in 2013, but continues to teach ServSafe seminars for the Arkansas Hospitality
Association and Fruit Carving classes around the state. Nardi is active in community
service programs such as the Chocolate Festival, The Heart Walk, Pro-Start and Skills
USA.
The recipient of the Educator of the Year Award is selected by students. When asked
about Karla Nardi, students said she made them think and taught them to consider how
what they learn affects the world around them. She encourages students to explore
and take responsibility for their own learning. One student said Nardi “embodies what
we are learning,” another said she helped them realize “that our jobs are noble because
we ‘serve’ others.
Photo 1: Credit, Arkansas Hospitality Association - Hospitality Instructor, Eve Baum Victory with Katherine Olis, Student of the Year.
Photo 2: Credit, Arkansas Hospitality Association - Hospitality Instructor, Eve Baum Victory with Karla Nardi, Speaker of the Year.
