From the Skies to the Classroom: Sasha Glaser’s Remarkable Path from the Air Force to UF’s Online M.S. in Tourism and Hospitality Management
March 26, 2025
For Technical Sergeant Sasha Glaser, earning a graduate degree is not just an academic milestone—it is her launchpad to a new career beyond the military. A first-generation Cuban American, Glaser has spent the last 13 years traveling the world as a flight attendant for the United States Air Force. Now, she is charting a new course with the University of Florida’s online Master’s in Tourism and Hospitality Management program.
“I enjoy being in the customer service industry and would like to pursue a career in tourism and hospitality once I retire from the military,” she said.
Glaser grew up in Miami, before joining the Air Force in 2008. She earned an associate degree in aviation and a bachelor’s degree in social science before enrolling in UF’s online program in Fall 2024. She is set to graduate in Spring 2025 with the skills to transition into a civilian career.
“What I enjoy the most about tourism and hospitality is the authentic experience one can get from traveling and exposing themselves to different cultures,” she said. Glaser enjoys learning new languages to communicate directly with the locals and learn more about new communities. Her favorite destinations are Brussels, Belgium, Italy, Tel Aviv, and Israel due to their rich traditions and world-class cuisine.
Balancing military service with coursework has its own unique set of challenges, but Glaser has tackled it head-on. She credits time management as the key to balancing work and school.
“There were long days and weekends packed with homework, but if you plan accordingly and manage the course load, it is very much achievable,” she said. Her job sometimes means submitting assignments while stationed on the other side of the world or navigating locations where electronic devices were restricted. However, her supportive professors made everything possible. “I was fortunate to have had very flexible professors who understood the demands of my career," she said.
Glaser gained applicable leadership skills and industry-recognized credentials including Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) through the program’s curriculum. She also developed a deeper understanding of the financial side of the hospitality industry, finding the science of pricing both complex and compelling.
“It gave me a different perspective on how the intricacies of the industry can determine the success or failure of a company,” she said.
Glaser’s decision to earn her master’s degree in tourism and hospitality management via UF has already paid off in her professional life.
“My supervisor is a fellow Gator, and when I mentioned I was completing a graduate degree in [Tourism and Hospitality Management], he assigned me a half-million-dollar project,” she said. “Opportunities like this are unique, and I believe everything I’ve learned in the past year and a half will be great tools for this project.”
For military students considering UF’s online Master’s in Tourism Hospitality and Event Management, Glaser has one piece of advice: “Go for it! Higher education is something that I always encourage every Airman to pursue, and with the proper support and plan in place, it is very much achievable,” she said.
As she moves forward with her career aspirations, she carries the pride and determination that have defined her journey so far. “Go Gators!”
ABOUT THE ONLINE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM, HOSPITALITY AND EVENT MANAGEMENT
The 100% online, instructor-led Master of Science in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management is designed for busy, working professionals or those just getting started in their careers.
This program allows you to earn your degree and apply what you learn in the classroom to your current and future work environments. Using real data from top industry experts, graduate students develop resource-based views and comprehensive strategies for managing and leading tourism and hospitality organizations. Students will also obtain a holistic perspective of environmental concerns that impact visitation to sensitive areas, including how to build sustainable initiatives into a business model and how to use unique faculty-developed tools to better respond to these issues.
Ignite your tourism and hospitality career with our streamlined admissions process.