A Student Prospective of the Annual Meeting in Toronto

Article by Matthew Ardakanian

Matthew is a student of the University of Delaware's Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management, and was the receipient of the 2007 Roy B. Evans Scholarship given out by Professional Convention Management Association. He has been a student member of PCMA since 2004.

We all can agree that fireworks set outdoors seem dangerous enough, but having fireworks put on indoors, is simply inconceivable. Although the majority of those attending PCMA’s Annual Meeting are industry professionals, there are many students who attend the convention with aspirations of developing careers in the convention and meeting planning industry. As a student studying Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management at the University of Delaware, the PCMA Convention was a priceless experience with incalculable benefits.

I vividly remember the disbelief I experienced when I arrived at the orientation program at this year’s meeting and was told that I would be “speed dating” industry professionals. This, by far, was one of the greatest networking opportunities of the entire conference. Within thirty minutes of the start of the conference, I was able to meet approximately twenty industry leaders. Not only did this exercise facilitate an instant air of mutual trust and recognition, this exercise created a continual feeling of comradery throughout the conference that exposed me to internship opportunities and career advice.

The lunch and dinner receptions also proved to be vital places for students to network. The opportunity to dine with industry leaders and ask career advice was advantageous and memorable. Where else would students be able to network with a meeting planner at the closing reception while dancing, unskillfully if I may add, to Shania Twain? In an industry which relies on professional networks, the PCMA meeting in Toronto was the perfect place to meet others in this industry, and no where else can students learn about such a plethora of industry topics. I even learned about biometric security and how to “beat” the systems while at an educational session. The most arduous part of the convention was deciding which session to attend!

The 2006 PCMA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia was the first convention I attended. My experiences at both of the PCMA Annual Meetings have helped me understand that the possibilities when planning an event are endless, and that a goal can be reached in non-traditional ways. From Cirque du Soleil in Philadelphia to indoor fireworks in Toronto, I can only imagine what is in store for the 2008 PCMA Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington.