Event Management II students gained real-world experience in professional event planning
Argent Enterprises is in crisis, with $1 million having gone missing from the company. Who stole the money? University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) Business students were tasked with uncovering this fictional mystery in an immersive event put on by Business students in Aida Memisevic’s Event Management II class.
This event was the first-ever business social of its kind at U of GH. Memisevic and her students came up with the concept of “Corporate Conspiracy” together, and the class planned the entire event, gaining hands-on experience from preparing and executing its activities, to co-ordinating marketing materials, to organizing food, to hiring actors, to garnering publicity, and more.
“It seemed like a lot of work. It took a lot of planning and consideration,” fourth-year Business student Shaan Parashar said. “It’s something that I’m definitely very proud of and it’s definitely one of the best classes I’ve had at Guelph-Humber.”
The students divided the planning – one group for each half of the event. Each group was given a budget of $1,500.
Some students planned a portion of the event in the gallery that’s adjacent to the U of GH atrium, which entailed a staged corporate gala (akin to immersive theatre), featuring hired actors playing the role of Argent Enterprises’ CEO, VP of sales, and IT director, who students could chat with to get clues about solving the case. The room also had games and a scavenger hunt, as well as catered savoury foods for visitors.
The other group tackled the escape room portion of the event in the atrium, which also had puzzles and brainteasers that lead visitors one step closer to uncovering who the culprit of the mystery was, as well as a sweets table. One of these puzzles was a jigsaw, that when put together, revealed a clue, Parashar explained, who was part of the group that planned this portion of the event.
“With this course, students learn so many things; with business skills that are transferable,” course instructor Memisevic said. “Beyond being an event planner, students learn how to execute a project under pressure; a professional accomplishment that they could add to their LinkedIn page or share in a [job] interview.”
“I love teaching this class because, to me, it's the bridge between university and real life. The students experience the real pressures of executing a professional event,” she added.
Febe Reners is an exchange student from Belgium’s UC Leuven-Limburg in her final year of study, doing a semester at U of GH. Joining Event Management II has been valuable in exposing her to working within a different culture. She was part of the group who planned the event’s escape room portion.
A major lesson for fourth-year Business student Yul Guia was learning how to work in a team. As an aspiring marketer, this was an exercise in maintaining co-ordination within a group when advertising the event and appealing to the public. It also taught him about the importance of taking initiative.
“This was out of my comfort zone. There were a lot of roles to play, and you really have to take initiative [in planning]. In most classes it’s all about theory, but this one is very experience-based,” he said, adding that taking this course was definitely the right choice in his educational journey.
Moreover, Parashar said that the students worked many late nights to ensure the event was executed perfectly – and their instructor, Memisevic, was always willing to support the students and provide help around the clock, even at midnight.
“The students are under pressure and they’re still learning. In the end, they can feel good about their work. They have something to talk about. I think that’s really valuable,” Memisevic said.
Event Management I and II are run by Memisevic each fall and winter semester for third- and fourth-year Business students. If planning an exciting, real event appeals to you, consider taking the course for hands-on experience.
