Abbigale Ehrhardt

Major: Event Management

Company/Organization: Iowa State Extension and Outreach

Company/Organization website: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/

Destination: Ames, Iowa

Timeframe: Summer

Advisor/Coordinator Email: rmcclain@iastate.edu

Responsibilities

Help assistance for multiple phases of the Municipal Professionals Institute and the Municipal Professionals Academy which run consecutively from July 15- July 26, 2019. These two conferences pull approximately 300 municipal professionals to the Gateway Conference Center in Ames for educational sessions. Tasks I perform are: + Provides support to Director and other support staff + Assists with the development of marketing collateral and marketing plans + Create/design membership recruitment materials and other communications + Create/design promotional and themed materials such as event signage and materials, fliers, notebooks + Update/maintain website + Places orders and collects promotional materials for attendees’ packets + Prepares and tests AV equipment for Power Point presentations + Prepares speaker profiles, tests, evaluations and signage for event + Coordinates and assists with event set up/tear down (July 15) and each day of event July 15-19, 22-24 and July 24-26 (7:00 am set up/tear down varies) + Coordinates and assists with event clean up + Assists instructor with computer lab + Finalizes events by creating detailed income and expenses reports

Accomplishments

The greatest accomplishment is being able to say I worked and held an amazing two week event in Ames. I feel so honored being the 2019 intern for this event because it has taught me a lot and has made me more excited of all of the things I still have to learn.

Learning experience

Lessons I have learned are events are very fast pace, when you think you have everything ready to go and set - odds are you don't and that's okay, be prepared for questions, be ready to move and run all over the place, stay calm even though you may be stressed. With all of the lessons learned you get rewarded well and with The biggest perk = the free food. :)

What advice would you give?

Working events is challenging and require long days. Hang in there because events are so rewarding in the end even though you feel like you might not make it.

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