M&R Hosts its First Non-American Intern
When Charan Teja Kotthapally arrived in the U.S. this spring from India, he became M&R’s first non-American, long-term intern. The People & Culture Team previously had arranged three-month internships for students from local New York-area colleges. But Charan, as he is known, would be here for a year.
“He qualified as a trainee for what is known as a J-Visa,” said M&R’s corporate recruiter, Neil Genel.
Charan is based at the Tarrytown House Estate on the Hudson, an historic conference resort overlooking the Hudson River in Westchester County, north of New York City. M&R’s previous interns, Jessica Calderon and Henry Pham, were assigned to the Fairfield by Marriott New York Manhattan/Central Park and Le Méridien New York, Fifth Avenue, respectively.
The internship is an adventure of sorts for Charan, who grew up on the rural outskirts of Hydrabad in southern India, a city of 11 million people known as a center of technology. “I’m the first in my family to visit the U.S,. and it’s exciting to be here,” he said. “Everyone has been very welcoming, like a family.”
Charan is part of Tarrytown House Estate’s food and beverage team, reporting to Javier Santos, director of banquets. His assignments included overseeing coffee breaks and group lunches at corporate meetings; helping with weddings and charity banquets on weekends; and assisting in the kitchen at Goosefeathers, the resort’s gourmet Chinese restaurant.
Reflecting on his time at the Tarrytown property, Charan said he has been impressed by its high standards and the mix of people he has met: associates from countries like the Dominican Republic and Mexico as well as the U.S. and guests representing a wide range of nationalities and backgrounds.
For his part, Javier holds Charan in high regard, describing him as “a great addition to the team.” While the process of learning Tarrytown’s systems and procedures is challenging, “Charan arrived with a good skill set, has a strong work ethic and always looking to do more,” Javier said. “He is customer focused and, best of all, enjoys exceeding our clients’ expectations.”
