Guest blogger Lindsay Ostin, CMU senior
Video created by Jordan Hathaway, CMU senior
Monday was the last day for MPI students at the World Education Congress (WEC, 2011) in Orlando. Jordan and Lindsay started the day by attending a Meeting Design Excursion hosted by John Nawn (Founder of The Perfect Meeting). Students toured the Convention Center as he pointed out things to consider about Customer Satisfaction, Customer Sacrifice, and Customer Surprise in the meeting industry. During lunch, they had an opportunity to see teams from two different Loews hotels prepare lunch and compete in an Iron Chef competition.
Within and around the conference they met more people – many either knew of the CMU MPI group, or worked with a CMU Alumni from the Event Management minor. The conference was filled with special touches too. For example, Canine Companions for Independence brought dogs for conference attendees to play with as an effort to relieve some of the stress of the long days. Lindsay also had a chance to attend Flash Point Idea Assembly – a revolving speakers forum that spends 15 minutes on trending topics.
Later in the day, they met up with members of the Michigan chapter for a reception at Copper Canyon in The Pointe Orlando. Shortly after, they drove down I-Drive with future leaders and explored. The student president from Tourism Toronto invited them in for a private party where they met even more people from all over the world. Later that evening they attended an event sponsored by the Detroit Metro CVB where they were able to spend time with other future leaders, MMPI members, MPI Board of Directors, and many other people they met throughout the weekend.
The conference has now come to a close and the students are home. MPI’s WEC 2011 definitely delivered and was everything they hoped for. They are ready to face the 2011-2012 year with new knowledge, new perspective, and an increased motivation to take even more students back next year to……St. Louis !!!! Site of the MPI WEC 2012 !!! Congratulations to Courtney Stanley, Craig Zubke, Jordan Hathaway, and Lindsay Ostin on a successful conference and here’s wishing you much luck for a wonderful, prosperous, and successful year!
