Are you looking for an opportunity to connect with meetings industry leaders and gain experience that will prepare you for a career in the meetings industry? Join over 3,000 meetings industry professionals and suppliers at the 2008 PCMA Annual Meeting and get the tools you need to advance your career.


PCMA Student Union

On Sunday, January 13, connect with your peers for an afternoon of programming created just for you! Begin the PCMA Student Union with a lunch at noon where you can make new contacts and kick-off your annual meeting experience. Following lunch attend two sessions that will help launch your career in the meetings industry:

Student Career Options Explored
The Art of Networking

PCMA Student Career Fair
Monday, January 14
Student Career Tips from the Pros - Each step of the interview process is as important as the next: obtain tips on writing a winning resume, how to present yourself in an interview, and the art of follow up. Walk away with the means and confidence to get the job of your dreams!

Student Career Networking Reception
Don’t miss this informal networking opportunity to meet with employers in the industry who have open entry level positions and internships.

Tuesday, January 15
Student Career Fair
Students are exclusively invited to attend this career fair featuring a limited number of PCMA members, including Hilton Hotels Corporation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Gaylord Hotels, GES Exposition Services, Experient who have internships and entry level positions available. Bring copies of your résumé!

Wednesday, January 16
Student Career Fair Interviews
Some organizations will be conducting follow-up on-site interviews with students. Interviews will be scheduled by those participating organizations directly.

Register now!

Click here for information on student housing and restrictions.

Click here for complete travel information including airline discounts.

PCMA Student Union Sponsored by:

Questions:

Please contact PCMA Student Relations if you have any questions at 312.423.7262 or students@pcma.org .

We look forward to seeing you in Seattle!

Here are some useful links on companies in the meetings industry. The websites contain lists of many of the companies that provide various services to the industry, and their contact information.

I use these websites very frequently when I am trying to find new vendors for services my association provides.


These lists would also make great reference tools for job and internship hunting. Here ya go:

http://www.conventions.net/

http://www.ultimateexhibitionandeventguide.com/

Job Hunting Articles on MiGurus!

If you haven't already checked out MiGurus on the Meetings Industry Mega Site (www. mimegasite.com), you should start now!

I found a few great articles written by Dawn Penefold on Job Hunting. Below are the links to the articles.

Holiday Job Hunting

How to Reply to Job

Tax Breaks for Job Hunters

Joan Eisenstodt also writes very frequently, and her latest few articles are on the Meetings Industry in 2008, and what we should expect:

Predictions for 2008

Demographicx in Flux

The Risk Factor

Whats in a Name?

Widener University PCMA Update

This year, the Widener University Student Chapter of PCMA has participated in many activities. We participated in a fundraiser and educational opportunity when Outback came to our school and served their own food alongside PCMA members. It was a huge success and we were able to donate $500 to the Salvation Army due to that fundraiser. Students also had a great learning experience from Outback and their staff. Students of our chapter also went to the Ronald McDonald House to volunteer their time and make desserts for them.

Our chapter also took a trip to the Atlantic City Convention Center for a tour of the facility and as an educational experience to learn about conferences and trade shows.

This semester, we had a guest speaker come and talk to students about his area of the industry. Mark Kingsdorf owns The Queen of Hearts, a wedding consultant company based out of Philadelphia. Mark spoke with students regarding his work and experience in the industry. The Widener University Student Chapter of PCMA has had a very successful year so far, and we are anticipating a great rest of the year.

Nicole Wasielewski

Widener University

Temple University Update

The Temple University Chapter has been very busy this semester. From increasing our membership, to fundraising for Seattle and preparing to send off our wonderful advisor, we have had a very successful semester. We started off the semester with five active members, three of which were our officers. We have now grown to an active group of 18! Of those 18, eight will be traveling to Seattle in January.

As far as fundraising for the Annual Meeting, we have held three events this semester. The first event was a garage sale for our advisor as he is getting ready to move across the pond to Scotland in December. In November, a few of our members held a Seattle themed event at Maui Wowi, a smoothie/coffee shop on campus. The event included raffles, games and prizes as well as a donation from Maui Wowi that was dependent upon the sales that the event brought in. The third event was a Holiday Book Sale and Signing with our advisor and professor, Dr. Joe Goldblatt, where the focus was on the 5th edition of his book entitled, “Special Events: The Roots and Wings of Celebration.” This event acted as a farewell event for Dr. Goldblatt and also included a bake sale and silent auction. All three events were very successful.

In Seattle, both our advisor, Dr. Goldblatt and one of our co-presidents, Astrid Schrier, will be receiving awards. Dr. Goldblatt is being honored as the Educator of the Year and Astrid as the Student Planner of the Year.

Three of our members participated in GPPCMA’s Service in Sync day at the Anna M. Sample House in Camden. Our members helped with the assembling and painting of furniture for the new room and with the decorating of the newly renovated space.

We are currently waiting for our Dean to appoint a new advisor for our group for the spring semester, but we are already working on ideas for professional events for the upcoming semester. We hope to team up with other professional organizations in our school such as Temple’s Chapter of the National Society for Minorities in Hospitality and the Sports and Recreation Professional Association.

Astrid Schrier

Co-President

Temple University Chapter

astrid.schrier@temple.edu