Alumni in Focus: Dave Nitkiewicz, M.T.A. ‘22

December 17, 2025

GWSB alumni Dave Nitkiewicz, M.T.A ‘22, currently serves as a Senior Manager for Strategic Communications and Projects at Marriott International. He discusses his rise up the corporate ladder, the importance of community and getting involved, and the ways in which he gives back to the GW community.

“GW gave me the confidence and perspective to pursue opportunities I never imagined growing up. It expanded my worldview, sharpened my professional skills, and connected me to a community that continues to shape my career.”

Dave Nitkiewicz
M.T.A ‘22

Where did you grow up and how has your background influenced you today?

I grew up in Ypsilanti, Michigan, as one of nine kids in a working-class family that valued reliability, humility, and hard work. It was a tight-knit, local upbringing, where showing up for others mattered, and responsibility came early. I started working in hospitality at sixteen, and from the beginning, I learned the dignity of service and the importance of doing your job well, no matter the role.

Travel is what expanded my worldview. As I moved beyond the environment I grew up in, I began to understand how powerful proximity can be. It is hard to judge people you truly know. Seeing new places and cultures helped me develop empathy, curiosity, and a broader sense of possibility. Those early values still guide me today, but travel taught me how to apply them on a global scale.

Tell us about your current professional role and how it excites you.

I am the Senior Manager, Strategic Communications and Projects at Marriott International. I work on global communications strategies that support executive messaging and global projects. I am especially excited about helping Marriott communicate with more clarity and consistency around the world. The work is fast-paced, cross-functional, and deeply connected to how the company operates.

What accomplishment are you most proud of personally or professionally and why?

In 2011, I graduated from high school knowing I wanted to go to college. After an honest conversation with my dad about our family’s finances, I also knew I would be paying my own way. When I turned eighteen, he gifted me a pen and told me it was time to sign my own debt. It was a quiet but defining moment, one that made independence unavoidable.

So I went to work. My first hotel job was in the kitchen at the Ann Arbor Eagle Crest Marriott in Ypsilanti. I peeled potatoes for nine dollars an hour, borrowed the family minivan to make part-time shifts, and tried to imagine what my future would hold. I made my way through, graduating from undergrad at Grand Valley State University, and paying for every dime of it myself. Nearly a decade later, loans repaid and loving my job at the local tourism bureau, I was laid off because of the pandemic. So, believing in myself, I sold most of what I owned, said goodbye to the people I loved, and moved to Washington, D.C. to pursue my Master’s in Tourism Administration at George Washington University.

That decision was rooted in purpose. I wanted to spend my life growing the travel industry and helping people connect through it, and I knew Marriott was a company that welcomes all and creates opportunities for all. I thought that if any company made it through the storm, Marriott would.

Last week, David Marriott shook my hand and stood for a photo, thanking me for the work I did supporting the Annual Marriott Global Senior Leadership Team Meeting at Headquarters. It was truly a full-circle moment. A reminder of the distance traveled, and all the people who supported me along the way.

I never imagined this path. Doors opened through persistence, education, and belief in something larger than yourself. I am proud of where I am today, but I am most proud of the road that led me here and my choice to invest in myself, especially when the future was uncertain.

Was there a standout course, professor, or organization from your time as a student that inspired your career path?

I loved learning from Gregory Rockett–he had 35 years of hotel experience at Marriott International and Hilton and was a wealth of knowledge! He really cemented my interest in joining the hotel industry.

What is your only-at-GW moment? In other words, what is an experience/opportunity you believe GW provided you access to?

I loved having someone from Marriott International as a guest executive for a semester - they explained a lot about the business and the industry with real-world examples. GW is in the heart of D.C., which you may not know is the home of the three largest American hotel companies! So GW has incredible access to industry professionals.

What is a piece of advice you would offer to students seeking to pursue your field of work?

Get out of your apartment and off your phone. Volunteer, make friends, join organizations, and spend real time with people. So much of communication, leadership, and career growth comes down to your ability to build relationships and hold a genuine conversation. The students who show up, get involved, and put themselves in new environments are the ones who grow the most and stand out the fastest.

How do you give back to the GW community?

When I wanted to leave GWU to work at Marriott International, I applied 17 times before getting a phone call. So, I’ve loved staying engaged with GWU, supporting well over 200 students and alumni through career development and academic initiatives. I’ve mentored students via informational interviews and networking events like Ready, Set, Grow!, the GWU Career Fair, and UBA’s Into the Industry panel, while promoting Marriott’s HQ Fellowship Program. I’ve hosted multiple MIHQ tours and meet & greets, arranged large-scale HQ visits for graduate and undergraduate students, and organized alumni networking lunches and intern networking. On the academic side, I’ve partnered with the Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management program, delivered guest lectures, and participated on industry panels focused on sustainability and hospitality, all to strengthen the connection between GWU and Marriott International to help students launch successful careers.

What is a fun fact about you that you'd like to share?

A fun fact about me is that I am a marathoner and an avid runner. I also founded the West End Run Club in Washington, DC. We started it in Fall 2021 to rebuild community after the pandemic, and it has become a weekly touchstone in my life and one of the most meaningful communities I am part of.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the GW community?

GW gave me the confidence and perspective to pursue opportunities I never imagined growing up. It expanded my worldview, sharpened my professional skills, and connected me to a community that continues to shape my career. For anyone from a nontraditional background, I want to share that your story is an asset and your path does not need to be linear to be successful.