What do the concrete industry and hospitality management have in common? One internship student looked beyond the subject area of the company and had an event management internship experience of a lifetime. Ashley Wright shares her experience at the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute in Chicago, Illinois.
Name: Ashley Wright
Major: Hospitality Management: Event Management Track
Internship: Assistant Meetings and Events Intern, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), Chicago, IL
Internship Date: Summer 2016
What was the structure of your PCI internship program?
My internship with PCI was a very structured and rewarding experience. My boss and mentor, Megan Lanning, Sr. Manager, Events and Member Services, had the position set up in a way where I would be doing a variety of different tasks to assist the events department in planning meetings, conventions, conferences and seminars. Megan states,
“My teaching style is to give direction, but then let the intern take control and do everything their own; to learn by doing.” I found this to be a very rewarding experience that allowed me to learn in a manner where I felt like I was making a difference and accomplishing what needed to be done. Working with the various different departments throughout the office really gave me a sense of valued experience I hope to take with me into my career.
Describe your internship role and responsibility?
I completed my internship this past summer at PCI. PCI is the global technical institute and trade association representing the precast/prestressed concrete industry and has developed the body of knowledge for precast/prestressed concrete construction. Their focus is in education, certification and promotion. My title while at PCI was the Assistant Meetings and Events Intern.
While in this position, I had a variety of different events I helped plan. Some of the events I helped with were the PCI Quality Control Schools and the OSHA Silica Safety Seminar. I began by searching for different hotels that would accommodate the meeting size and room block needs. After finding a proper venue, I proceeded to get a contract and hotel room block for the guests. I also drafted banquet event orders (BEO’s) and the schedule to be approved and signed. For many of the events I planned, I would book charter buses, research dinner venues, and find unique activities for attendees to participate in at each location.
One event that I was able to plan from to beginning thru completion was the PCI Illinois and Wisconsin Chapter’s annual Lake Geneva Meeting and Golf event. For this event, I was in constant contact with the sales person at the venue discussing BEO’s, set ups, and schedules. This event consisted of an evening event, a morning meeting and then followed by an afternoon of golfing for our members. My main focus for this event was to help sell sponsorships to decrease the amount members had to pay to attend. I ended up selling 70% more sponsorship items than the previous year. Attendees at the meeting were very happy and many made comments that it was a great event, which was extremely rewarding.
During my internship, I was also taught how to set up and run an online registration website. This website allowed our members to go online, register, and then pay for the event they were planning to attend. The website often included the schedule of the event, when and where it was being held, and important information that participants needed to know. Coinciding with this, I also worked in an e-blast mail system with the Managing Director of Market Development, learning how to send out electronic newsletters and important information to our members. I used this system to create communications to send to our members, inviting them to register for the event.
One of the final projects that I worked on was researching different ways we could attract attendees to our annual convention. After many hours of research, I presented my boss with ideas that I felt would attract more participants to attend the convention. My research on what different organizations did for their conventions, showed that discounts for attendee travel is a nice benefit. So I contacted airlines to obtain travel discounted for the dates of the convention. These discounts would save the traveler 10% off of their ticket, while also rewarding PCI at the same time. For every 30 travelers who booked with the company, PCI would receive a free round trip ticket to the destination of their choice. I also recommended that we make the PCI booth at the convention fun and functional to attract people to visit the booth. One of my recommendations was for charging stations for electronic devices, which will be implemented in their booths going forward. Not only will that attract people to our booth, but it will get be a platform for staff to meet with new and potential members.
What did you enjoy most about your internship?
I have always been passionate about planning and the diversity that each event requires. Working at PCI this summer solidified even more that I am going to have a career doing something I absolutely love! I think what I enjoyed most was having the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and really learn deeply about each aspect that goes into event planning. My boss really let me learn and grow into the position. I think that’s what I loved the most was feeling like I was accomplishing projects that will prepare me for my career after I graduate.
What was challenging about your internship?
There were some challenges starting out, just like there is in any new position you undertake. I would say the first week was the most challenging, learning about PCI and their operation as well as the different events that I would be in charge of planning. I also think my biggest struggle was within myself. I really wanted to impress my boss and the organization, so I was very hard on myself and always made sure I put in 100% effort with anything I did. My main goal was to not just work for PCI but make an impact and really help the organization grow.
What were some strategies you used to get and prepare for the internship?
I would say make sure you are involved on campus. Go to the career fairs and really put yourself out there. Networking is key to finding internships that you are going to learn from and enjoy. Talk with your teachers, classmates, and alumni because you never know what connections you can make to find that opportunity. I would also say make sure you really do your research in the company you take the internship with. I will be the first one to say just because a company approaches you with a name you have never heard of, or it isn’t a well know company, don’t immediately turn them away. Do your research and really get to know the company you will be working for.
In the aspect of preparing for the internship, I would definitely recommend brushing up on your grammar and spelling skills. It was very important for me to do this, because I was contacting multiple people every day from vendors to members and colleagues, and it was important for me to be viewed as professional. I also recommend being proficient in excel spreadsheets. I worked with these a lot and was surprised at how much I didn’t know going into this internship. The last piece of advice I would give for preparing for any internship is to continue to increase your organization skills. It is so important to keep yourself organized throughout the process; it will eliminate stress and keep you focused.
What advice do you have for other students?
The most important piece of advice I could give you is to not let an organization or company that you have never heard of scare you away from your dream internship. Just because the name of the company doesn’t seem interesting, don’t immediately decline the offer, you never know what great experience could be hiding behind the door. I went into my internship unsure of what to expect and received the best experience I think I could have ever asked for. I am confident now, more than ever, that when I graduate I will know what I am doing and be able to take the skills I have learned and applied them to my career. My teachers in the Department of Hospitality Management have taught me so much in the classroom, and my internship enabled me to apply everything that I have learned into the real world environment. There is nothing as valuable to a recent graduate as having your degree coupled with the experience gained from an internship!