Foundations of Meeting & Event Planning

This unit introduces core principles and practical tools for planning meetings, events, and exhibits, covering purpose definition, logistics, vendor selection, budgeting, food & beverage, accessibility, AV/staging, and virtual/hybrid options. It provides foundational checklists and evaluation methods to prepare students for advanced event design and execution in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze meeting and event purposes, stakeholder needs, and target audiences to formulate clear, measurable event objectives and scope.
• Apply logistical planning practices — including site selection, scheduling, transportation, food & beverage, accessibility, and audiovisual considerations — using provided checklists to create a preliminary event plan.
• Demonstrate the ability to prepare a basic event budget and draft an RFP and supplier evaluation criteria to select vendors and service partners.
• Evaluate format options (in-person, hybrid, virtual), exhibit and lead-generation strategies, and post-event evaluation methods to recommend improvements that enhance attendee experience and event outcomes.