Event Planning Resources - Center for Student Engagement and Inclusion

Event Planning Links
Steps to Plan a Successful Event
Planning the Event
- Start with a Clear Goal
- Organize your thoughts and ideas to figure out what the goal of the event is. Learn who your team mates are and work with them to set your goal as a group and for the event. Think about all that is involved in planning the event and what resources you will need to execute everything properly.
What Do the Students Want?
- What are you hearing from the students? It is a good idea to figure out the interests of your student body to know what kind of events should be planned. Who are you targeting and why? Brainstorm who you will need to work with to achieve success.
Purpose
- Ask yourself "Why". Every event should have a purpose. What are you trying to accomplish with this event and will it reflect your groups vision? Why does your team want to plan this event and how is it useful to the students?
Turn Your Light Bulb On!
- Ask yourself "Why". Every event should have a purpose. What are you trying to accomplish with this event and will it reflect your groups vision? Why does your team want to plan this event and how is it useful to the students?
- Remember your club’s mission, vision, values and goals.
- What promotional items will you need? Flyers and social media are always helpful!
- Anything is possible: Be creative and fine tune details with your team.
- After brainstorming, start narrowing your ideas based on the event goals, time, location, budget, and staffing.
- Make sure all of your team members have a role to play.
Start the Planning Process
- Use an event planning guide to keep your event details organized and in one place.
- Set the budget and stick to it. Discuss with your team if there is a need for more funding and where you can receive it (think co-sponsorships or fundraisers).
- Reserve space and set time for the event. Always have a rainy-day location! Just in case.
- Make sure all promotional items have been created and ready for distribution 4-6 weeks before the event date.
- When contacting vendors, make sure they are aware that payment can take up to 6-8 weeks from the University.
Double Check Everything!
- Use an event planning guide to keep your event details organized and in one place.
- At least 3 weeks before your event, make sure promotional items are distributed, vendors are followed up with and necessary forms are turned in.
- Daily Digest request submitted
- Has your event schedule been discussed and given to your group?
- Are all parties involved and know their roles in the event?
Event Day
- Use an event planning guide to keep your event details organized and in one place.
- Arrive early.
- Make sure the group knows when to show up and what their responsibilities are.
- Enjoy your hard work!
- Don't forget to clean up and thank all those who helped out, including the vendors or outside parties.
Follow Up
- With your group, discuss what went well and what could be improved.
- Reflect and use those notes for future reference.
- Use assessment tool to keep track of event progress and data.
Event Planning Basics

On campus events submitted fewer than four weeks in advance are not guaranteed for space on campus. If a requested space is not available, our team identify a similar space and inform the group.

Groups must provide as much detail as possible about room setup and A/V requirements when entering the event request. Due to limited staffing, room setups are not guaranteed. Depending on the nature of the event, our team may need to modify a setup based upon available staffing and equipment. Groups will be informed of these changes.

Organizations are permitted to hold events that will produce loud noise; however, groups must be conscious of where these events are located. Consideration of event approval includes location, event type, and event specifications.

Events must comply with all current campus public health protocols.

All organizations using University facilities are expected to clean up after themselves. Organizations will be billed for the cost of cleanup if it is not done properly.

The Audio Visual (A/V) Services Office has equipment available for all Organizations to use for events. Most of the equipment and services are free of charge; however, some services do have an associated fee. For more information and a complete list of services contact Instructional Technology at 410-837-6262. Plan to reserve any needed equipment well in advance to insure availability.