Business Etiquette Dinner hosted by business school

On Wednesday, Oct. 22, the Dolan School of Business hosted a “Business Etiquette Dinner,” orchestrated by a professional etiquette coach, in order to better prepare Fairfield students for occasions where first impressions are crucial.

The dinner was hosted by Ann Marie Sabath, a professional etiquette coach. All students were welcome to attend the event, but juniors and seniors were given priority in reserving a seat at the dinner, according to Tara Berwick, director of internships for the Dolan School of Business.

Sabath feels as though the mannerisms taught at the dinner are crucial for all students to learn, as they will give students a “competitive edge” in interviews and internships and will help them “outclass their competition.”

The event began with Sabath teaching students about professional presence, first impressions and how to work a room.

Next, the students had the opportunity to put these strategies into practice.

Students then enjoyed a three-course dinner, while Sabath discussed the rules of dining.

“Many interviews now actually incorporate some kind of dining experience. Dining techniques such as knowing which fork to use and how to handle difficult to eat food are important to know in these situations,” Berwick said.

Throughout the dinner, Sabath taught students the proper etiquette for dining in a formal setting, such as when to start talking business, which direction to pass the food, and how to excuse themselves from the table if necessary.

Sabath hopes that this dinner was able to assist students in “avoiding those moments of hesitation that we’ve all encountered over the years.”

Junior Cristina Boyle attended the event with the hope of gaining “a better perspective of the business world” and learning how to improve her etiquette, which she obtained from the dinner.

Junior Guadalupe Ramirez also felt that enhanced etiquette would be a great asset for future job interviews, which she gained thanks to the dinner.

For Jess Estrada ’15, the “Business Etiquette Dinner” was a crucial event for students to attend because it teaches students how to handle themselves in professional situations.

“If you can’t manage yourself on a social level, you won’t be able to handle yourself on a professional level,” Estrada said.