(Pictured: The winning students from Kansas State University)
Nearly two dozen collegiate teams from across the U.S. submitted proposals for PCMA’s inaugural Business Events Industry Student Challenge competition, which tested student knowledge of understanding issues and trends affecting the business events industry. Five finalists were selected to present their proposals in a live competition. This competition engages students to pursue careers in the business events industry and to provide a network mentorship platform for professional growth.
The winning students: Brooks Hetle, Bailey Brown, Andie Contreras, Tia Gamble and Cameryn Rasmussen, from Kansas State University are being advised by Kristin Malek, an assistant professor of hospitality management, and were members of PCMA’s inaugural Business Events Industry Student Challenge, which proposes how to protect personal data of people attending business events.
“It was powerful to see the passion and knowledge students in the meetings and business events industry put into their presentations and experience the engagement they have for the industry,” says Sherrif Karamat, CAE, president and CEO of PCMA, and one of the competition’s six judges. “It was difficult to choose a winning team as all five finalists have certainly impressed our panel of industry experts, but we felt the students from Kansas State University did an amazing job with their proposal.”
The Kansas State University team will be hosted by PCMA Education Foundation to present their proposal of using block chain to minimize cyberhacking at business events at PCMA University during PCMA’s signature event, Convening Leaders in January. Runners up to PCMA’s Student Challenge competition include two teams from Denver’s Metropolitan State University, one team from Indiana University-Purdue University (IUPUI), and one team from Iowa State University.
Advised by Shinyong Jung, assistant professor of event and meeting management, the Metropolitan State University team consisted of Julia Whaley, Kathleen Wilhite, Qiesha Lewis, Otto Jose, Jaycee Dahl, Christina Bekhova, Elise Teuber, Brieana Lewis and Stephanie Sianez.
The IUPUI team members—Nick Fuchs, Ethan Garcia, Maria Jaramillo, Vijay Melwani and Allie Wigginton—were advised by Godwin “Charles” Ogbeide, associate professor and director of IUPUI’s Events and Tourism Institute.
The Iowa State University team of Caroline Ennes, Hallie Farrell, Dalton Wulf, Ali Baumann, Dallas Ott and Mallory Smith was advised by Eric Olson, assistant professor in the department of apparel, events and hospitality management.
Judges in addition to Karamat were Eduardo Chaillo, CEO of Global Meetings and Tourism Specialists LLC; Kati Quigley, senior director of partner marketing for Microsoft Corp.; Angie Ranalli, vice president of sales, Midwest region for San Diego Tourism Authority; and Carol Krugman, partner of Krugman Maller LLC. The live competition was moderated by Derrick M. Johnson, senior director of meetings for The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
