Tuesday morning, 16 Event Management students from Central Michigan University (CMU) piled into their cars and headed south to volunteer at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee. The 4-day music festival attended by over 400 artists, included 30 hours of autograph sessions with fans and over 150 hours of country music concerts on the stages of Riverfront Park and LP field.
The event management students that participated in this volunteer opportunity were selected through a comprehensive application process followed by months of preparation. According to MPI (Meeting Professionals International) student club President Lindsay Ostin, “The CMA trip was really designed for students interested in coordinating meetings, conferences, and special events.” She further added, “…and if their passion was country music – well, that didn’t hurt either!”
Ostin, a senior from Marine City, Michigan posted updates on the MPI Facebook page and “tweeted” to followers in an effort to share the experience with other students. Her posts indicate the group checked in on Tuesday and received wristbands for the award show. On Wednesday, the students served as event escorts for country music’s hottest artists before the kickoff parade. Other messages implied support at VIP parties, registration areas and the artist green room. Students also served on fun teams and as zone floaters.
The CMA trip, although designed to be a working experience, came with a few perks. When students were not working, they had opportunities to explore Nashville and learn more about tourism initiatives crafted around the CMA and country music culture. They also attended concerts at the festival. “Tonight, we went to our first concert at LP Field and ended up on the floor 19 rows away from the stage!! Chris Young, Little Big Town, Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, and Rascal Flatts were all scheduled to perform and surprise guests Big & Rich, Thompson Square, Gretchen Wilson, and Scotty and Lauren from American Idol all gave phenomenal performances.”
The CMA trip is just one of the several hands-on practical experiences available to event management students at Central Michigan University. The event management minor, offered through the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services Administration is interdisciplinary and encourages students to participate in these experiences to better prepare them for the industry. To date, students have volunteered at hundreds of events nation-wide, and provided exclusive support to major events such as the CMA, Cannes Film Festival, and the Boston Marathon. Students also serve as volunteers for events in their hometowns and throughout Michigan.
Follow CMU event management students on Twitter @CMUMPI.
Students that served in Nashville with Lindsay included: Lauren Heilman, Alexa Snyder, Molly McCracken, Joe Paul, Heather Stankoviac, Sabrina Besaw, Tyler Champt, Jordan Hathaway, Leah Farrell, Abby Goetsch, Shelby Sunderman, Emily Lowthian, Taylor Rushing, Jessica Torok, Vittoria Valenti, and CMA student intern Courtney Stanley.
