CHRIS CODUTO / Arizona Daily Wildcat Latin American studies junior and manager of the Best Western Executive Inn's Mineral and Fossil Show Lynda Cruz holds one of many unique gems exhibited in the show. The annual event, attracting people from around the country, will run through Feb. 12.

A UA student may be one of the youngest Hispanic women to hold a leadership role in the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, one of Tucson's biggest annual moneymaking and culturally inviting events.

Lynda Cruz, a Latin American studies junior, said she became show manager of the Best Western Executive Inn's Mineral and Fossil Show by talking to her manager about bringing an independent show, separate from the more commercialized mineral and fossil shows, to the hotel.

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the world's largest gem and mineral show featuring ores from all over the world.

The Mineral and Fossil Show will run through Feb. 12 at the Best Western Executive Inn, 333 W. Drachman St., and will include collections of minerals, gems, jewelry and lapidary from around the world, including specimens of dinosaur and other fossils from museums and private collections.

Cruz said this is the first time she has been involved with a gem and mineral show, but said she has read about previous shows and is excited for the opportunity to be involved.

"This is a great opportunity for myself and also a great learning experience," said Cruz.

This year marks the first time the hotel is self-promoting a show, and while they are new to the challenge, patrons of the hotel and the general public will want to see what they have to offer, said Sudhir Shah, general manager and partner of the Best Western Executive Inn.

"It's an opportunity for us to build a reputation with our dealers," Cruz said. "It's a big deal and a big risk for us. (It's like) a David versus Goliath scenario."

The popularity of the show can already be seen as hotel rooms are booked solid for this week, but rooms are still available for the second week of the show, Shah said.

Shah said the show will offer an intimate setting because the dealers want to discuss their product and want to get to know their customers.

"Here you can buy directly from the people actually digging from the sites the minerals are coming from," Shah said.

The Gem and Mineral Show will also give students in various general education classes the opportunity to work at the show and explain to visitors what mineral specimens they are looking at.

George Gehrels, a geosciences professor, said his oceanography class is offered extra credit if they work between Feb. 11 and 13.

Annie Marcus, who is in Gehrel's oceanography class, said she is excited about working at the show.

"I think it will be cool to see all the different ores from around the world and explain to the kids what they're looking at," said Marcus, a psychology sophomore. "The extra credit is definitely an incentive as well."

Jenni Pollack, a psychology sophomore, also plans on working a shift at the show.

"We've been learning about these very same things in class so it'll be fun to apply what we know to people coming by our stations," Pollack said. "This is a good incentive for us and the students who come by."

Shah said all the money raised over the two-week event will go to the hotel.

With more than 50 dealers confirmed for the show, Shah said he does not know how much money the hotel will bring in, but hopes the public will turn out in support of their venture.

"Everyday we're getting more and more dealers which means more booths and more opportunities for the public to see gems and minerals from around the world," Shah said.