SAEM Student Gaining Events Management Experience at Phipps Conservatory Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Meet Alexandria Delancey
Major: Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management
Position: Part-time Event Assistant for Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Hometown: Plum, Pa.
Expected graduation: May 2015
Internship: Disney College Program
Hobbies/interests: Running
Update
Alexandria is now the venue and marketing coordinator for the County of Allegheny.
How did you land your event planning position with Phipps Conservatory?
I went on a field trip to Phipps for my SAEM event management class and heard about positions being open for event assistants. I wanted to get experience in events over the summer so I applied for the position online and talked to Angela Scaramucci in the Career Development Center. I went on a few interviews and then was offered the position.
What are your main responsibilities?
I help set up for events, make sure everything runs smoothly and then clean up at the end of the night. Since it is wedding season I mostly work wedding showers, rehearsals, ceremonies and receptions. I also have worked a few corporate events held by Phipps.
What's it like to be an SAEM major at Point Park?
It's a great learning experience being an SAEM major. The professors do such a good job at giving us helpful advice and showing us all of our opportunities regarding jobs and internships. I'm a transfer student from the Community College of Allegheny County and I am very happy with the SAEM program and all that it offers.
How do you balance working and going to school full time?
The only way I can balance both is by making sure I manage my time effectively. I select my school schedule based on my work schedule demands. Some semesters I take all night classes so that I can do both. The hardest part is managing time for studying and homework. It can be stressful at times but I am passionate about what I study so that motivates me to reach my goals.
In what ways do you think this experience will help you with your career goals?
I'm finally getting more experience working in events and learning everything that goes into putting them together. It has helped me realize I would like to transition into the initial planning part of events management so that I can connect with clients from the beginning. Also, this experience has helped me discover the type of events I want to plan in the future.