THEM students are paving the way for the next generation of event managers with hands-on experience. The students in Rayven Crisafulli’s HFT 2750 Event Management class were engaged in the planning, coordinating, and management of the first St. Augustine History Festival in May 2022. Students in the class were given the opportunity to gain professional experience as true event managers by sourcing and booking vendors, creating graphics, proposing event activities, designing the event aesthetics and evaluating the logistics of the participating venues. A select three students were then invited to participate in the onsite coordination of the Opening Celebration for the festival at the Governor’s House Cultural Center & Museum.
Tara Parrish, one of the student event coordinators, spoke on how her experience elevated her learning and prepared her to take steps in her future career. “Being able to work alongside industry professionals allowed me to take what I learned and apply it directly in the field. The tips and tricks that you learn while putting together an event is something you cannot learn out of a textbook.” In addition to all the work put into the event ahead of time, these three students designed all of the event’s floral arrangements, managed event setup, photography and breakdown at the conclusion of the event.
The St. Augustine History Festival included activities at over 17 different venues across the city. Students were tasked with finding a creative way to track the number of attendees at each participating venue, since tickets were not required for participation. Their creative solution involved designing a QR code “passport” system located at each venue. Once attendees scanned this QR code, they gained a “stamp” in their virtual passport and the event managers gained key insights on the event’s participants.
The event management students proved their worth by simultaneously finishing up their classes and organizing an important event for the St. Augustine community. Post event, stakeholders praised the students’ involvement and execution. Furthermore, students are given the opportunity to follow through by conducting event evaluations and marketing impact, allowing them to improve the stakeholders’ future plans for the event. These valuable opportunities make the difference for students applying to jobs and move the event industry forward.
