Do you know how you should be securing a keynote speaker? What should you be including in a registration package? When should you prepare an event evaluation survey? I could not have answered any of these questions without having taken Planning It Right.
Event planning without having any experience has always been an intimidating idea, and although I have always wanted to have the experience, I have always been nervous about it. What did I know about putting on a large scale (or even a small scale) event? So when I found out about the Beedie Planning It Right program, I signed up immediately. Now, having just completed the program, I am confident that I can take on the challenge of planning an event successfully.
Planning It Right prepares students to take on major event planning roles in student organizations and the skills learned can be transferable to any event. The program is composed of an online course component, and is coupled with a short three-hour in-person workshop. The online component outlines every step of the planning process; each stage is then supported with essential, and often overlooked, information and tools. Discussion questions are asked and allow participants to gain some insight into the possible solutions to difficulties that can arise when planning an event. The three-hour in person portion of the program is heavily focused on event budgeting, and risk and mitigation. Creating checklists, advice for seating arrangements, and applications for event resources are some of the details the program assists in providing. I now know what questions need to be asked to make an event successful. In addition, now I know when and how each part of the event planning process should be done. And if I ever forget, I can just check back to Canvas, where the Planning It Right program has all the resources posted chronologically, clearly labelled and accessible to present and previous participants. The whole setup is as straightforward as baking a cake from a cake mix; just add a few other key ingredients, like determination and motivation, and follow the recipe, to get successful results.
I may not have tangible experience in event planning and I may only be a first year student, but I now know that if I were to take on an event-planning role, I could handle it. My confidence has improved, and I plan on applying for student organization roles in the near future. For me, being a part of Planning It Right would have been worth it just for the extra self-assurance, but of course it comes with more. The program took less than 10 hours, and I gained invaluable resources, support and insight.. It should be mentioned that unforeseen issues can still arise and that no program can guarantee success in every situation. However, Planning It Right will prepare you for many potential challenges, and give you the tools to handle them. I think the choice is pretty simple: spend 10 hours of work now or spend countless hours in the future trying to fix the mistakes that could have easily been prevented. I urge you to take Planning It Right—it will not only develop your knowledge (and confidence) in event planning, but it will also improve the quality of the events held for our community.
Maggie Quinn is in her first year at the Beedie School of Business and has already participated in many Beedie opportunities, including BASS FROSH, the Business Mentorship Program (BMP), Beedie Protégé and Planning It Right. Maggie is excited to apply the skills she has learned at Beedie and beyond! She has so loved her time at SFU so far and is excited to engage in many more of the amazing opportunities the school offers in the years to come.