Students in the Department of Communication’s Event Planning course spent the fall term strategizing innovative ways to recruit future Drexel Dragons. The course partnered with the College of Arts and Sciences’ recruitment staff, who acted as the “client,” following an experiential learning model as students created detailed plans for potential university events for prospective students.  

Event Planning, taught by Adjunct Professor of Communication Rosemary Rys, provides students with the theoretical and practical tools to understand the complexities of producing special events across major industries, recognizing that events encompass all elements of the communication process.  

Throughout the term, students worked in small groups to create comprehensive event plan proposals, culminating in final presentations that showcased their understanding of the details and techniques used in producing a special event. Each group served as its own event planning company, vying for the client’s business with their proposals. With a hypothetical budget of $6,000, students researched real venues and used realistic prices to plan events that could be implemented successfully.   

“If you were to do this again in the real world, and some of you will, it’s likely you would be competing with other event planners for this client’s business,” Rys told students. “If in a corporation, your success will be measured, too, and a successful event might make the difference for you as you move up the corporate ladder.”  

Students determined the big-picture scope of their events, including identifying the objectives and audience, and planned details like securing a venue and catering and designing invitations, advertisements and swag. They created contingency plans for any issues that could arise, such as inclement weather or power outages. Finally, students completed a post-event analysis to determine how to measure their event’s success.  

While students were instructed to find real-life venues and vendor companies, there was no limit to how creative they could get with their event concepts. One group proposed a “Dragons at the Beach” event that would take place in Atlantic City, while another group presented a “Brooklyn Block Party” to reach students in different states. Other ideas included a mock trial boot camp, a late-night show themed event, and a "Recruit and Refresh” partnership with the soda brand Poppi.    

The winning group proposed holding an event called “Night at the Museum” at the Academy of Natural Sciences for prospective students interested in science and history. With the Academy’s Dinosaur Hall as a setting, the event would serve as a creative way to highlight the College of Arts and Sciences’ programs and give students an opportunity to connect with faculty and peers.   

“What ultimately made our decision was the attention to detail for the event logistics themselves. This team really planned out a lot including spacing and activities, and we loved that they went so far as to create their own custom graphics,” said Janine Guerra, director of recruitment and enrollment for the College of Arts and Sciences, who judged the final presentations. “This group’s idea also really took the Drexel audience to heart and highlighted the university’s unique strengths.” 

Drexel is a global leader in experiential education, which allows students to develop new strengths, expand their knowledge and acquire life-long skills. “I’ve taught most of my classes experientially since I started at Drexel in 1991,” Rys said. “I’ve found that my students enjoy this learning method and bond more easily with their peers as they interact.” The College of Arts and Sciences offers a variety of opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience early and often, from coursework like this, to co-ops, research, study abroad, and lab and field work. Learn more about our college.