On any given day, Jenna Hunter ’25 might be coordinating a wedding, welcoming a group of students, or setting up for a business meeting. As the Iowa Arboretum’s operations and events coordinator, she manages events at the community-supported public garden in central Iowa.

“My number one thing about events is that I want people to have good experiences,” Hunter said. “I want someone to remember their event positively and want to come back. The Arboretum is so community- and experience-focused, and that’s huge for me.”

Hunter gained extensive hands-on experience as an event management major at Iowa State—a school that wasn’t initially on the Illinois native’s radar.

“One of my friends was looking at Iowa State for event management, and we decided to drive out and visit,” she said. “I ended up falling in love with it. We were there in the fall, and the campus was just so beautiful. I really loved the atmosphere in Ames.”

After enrolling, Hunter explored a range of courses before declaring her major. With years of experience in food service and banquet work, event management quickly stood out.

“I had done food service my whole life and had been a banquet server so many times, so I was involved in a lot of setups and breakdowns,” she said. “I realized I wanted to be more involved in the planning side of events. Once I took event management classes, it all clicked. I realized this was an industry I would thrive in.”

Her coursework at Iowa State provided practical preparation for her career. Hospitality Law, her favorite class, introduced her to contracts and liability, while an event production course gave her the opportunity to help plan a campus conference.

“The conference really helped break down all the different parts of planning an event, from sponsorships and venue searching to registration and lighting and sound,” Hunter said. “Now that I work for the Arboretum, I see all of those parts come together.”

Outside the classroom, Hunter worked for Recreation Services throughout her four years at Iowa State. She gained additional event-planning experience, including helping plan a year-end gala for student employees.

It was fitting, then, that Hunter connected with her current employer through another campus event: the People to People Career Fair, where she first met representatives from the Iowa Arboretum.

She attended the career fair several times during her years at Iowa State to learn which employers would be present and what types of opportunities were available. At the beginning of her senior year, she received a job offer in Illinois but ultimately decided to stay longer in Ames, where she had built strong friendships and a sense of community.

“There was so much more in Ames that I wanted to explore,” she said.

Once she decided to stay, Hunter attended the spring career fair in search of a job in central Iowa. Before the event, she reviewed the list of participating organizations and their job openings.

“I pinpointed about five companies that I wanted to talk to about specific openings and gave them my résumé,” she said.

The Iowa Arboretum was one of those organizations. Hunter began working there part-time before graduating and transitioned into a full-time position after commencement.

“I didn’t know they existed until I looked on the website to see who was going to be at the career fair,” she said. “Honestly, if I didn’t go to that career fair, I don’t know where I would be right now.”

Today, Hunter enjoys planning a wide range of events, and the fact that her role keeps her outdoors.

“I can get up after lunchtime and walk a mile outside, interact with our guests, and see 25 different birds and really cool flowers,” she said.

This past spring, Hunter found herself back at the People to People Career Fair once again—this time as a recruiter.

“Connections are huge, especially in the human sciences,” she said. “Even if you’ve got your sights set on something very specific, go to the career fair. Meet people. Make those connections.”

She also encourages students to recognize the value of the experience they’re gaining in classes.

“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there,” Hunter said. “Give yourself credit. You’ve had several years of hands-on experience as a student, and that matters.”

For Hunter, a single campus visit led to a major she loved, meaningful experiences, and a career she’s excited to keep building.