Robert Barker/University Photography

From left, Eric Rabinowitz '12, the 2012 winner of the School of Hotel Administration's Drown Prize, with Hotel School Dean Michael D. Johnson, the school's dean and E.M. Statler Professor of Hotel Administration.

Eric Rabinowitz '12 found his hospitality-industry calling while sitting on Grand Cayman's Seven Mile Beach. He was 5 years old, and while other kids were building sand castles, he was working on a sand resort.

"Most kids dream of becoming a professional basketball player, a movie star or the next John Lennon; I wanted to own and operate hotels," said Rabinowitz.

By the time he was in high school, Rabinowitz knew the importance of having a well-rounded understanding of hotels. He got an internship at a local hotel where he could learn the ins and outs of departments including the front office, food and beverage, housekeeping, banquets, and sales and marketing.

That was also when he set his sights on attending Cornell's School of Hotel Administration (SHA).

During Rabinowitz's four years at Cornell, he took advantage of the school's many opportunities. He held leadership positions for Ye Hosts Honorary Society, SHA Ambassadors, Hospitality Law Society and the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. And Rabinowitz spent summers as an associate for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Miami, an analyst in Goldman Sachs' investment management division, and an intern at The Westin New York at Times Square and The Ritz-Carlton New York at Central Park.

A triple minor in real estate, Spanish literature and Latin American studies, Rabinowitz graduated summa cum laude and was named a Merrill Presidential Scholar. One of his most notable achievements was winning the 2012 Joseph Drown Foundation Special Prize, which is awarded annually by the Joseph Drown Foundation to a graduating senior from SHA.

The $15,000 Drown prize is the largest monetary award given to an SHA undergraduate. Recipients are chosen by a committee of SHA faculty members. This year's semifinalists were Maria Hera, Caitlin "Nala" Holmes, Alison Hoyt and Madeline Jimerson.

In nominating Rabinowitz for the prize, Bruce Tracey, associate professor of management, wrote that he first met Rabinowitz during new student orientation in August 2008. "I was more than mildly surprised when he turned our initial conversation about settling into dorm life and getting acquainted with the Hotel School to an extremely engaging discussion about the roles and influences of unions in the hospitality industry," Tracey noted. "It was clear to me that Eric was extremely well-grounded and intellectually curious."

As the winner of the Drown Prize, Rabinowitz delivered the SHA Commencement address, where he urged his peers to adopt that same intellectual curiosity. He said, "I encourage you to continue to challenge yourself and step outside of your comfort zone. Follow your passions, and do not be afraid to fail."

Rabinowitz will donate a portion of his prize money to United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), an organization for which he has already raised more than $6,000 by hosting the Tennis for UCP event in his hometown of Dix Hills, N.Y. The rest of the money will go toward his long-term dream of opening an upscale resort in Latin America.

Ashlee McGandy is a staff writer at the School of Hotel Administration.