Georgia Institute of Technology

Catering Conundrums

Last year, Auxiliary Services announced Georgia Tech’s revised catering policy and preferred catering list. As you begin your spring planning and review your food and beverage needs, we'd like to remind you of a few helpful catering tips.

Frank Gordy Dining Room at the Wardlaw Center

Frank Gordy Dining Room at the William C. Wardlaw Jr. Center

The Wardlaw Center, located at the corner of North Avenue and Techwood Drive, not only houses Georgia Tech’s Development and Communications & Marketing departments, but also offers ideal space for seated dinners for 50 to 100 guests.

Professional Development Recap: Institute Special Events & Protocol Website

Thank you to the more than 100 colleagues who registered to attend our professional development event on February 23, where we introduced our new Institute Special Events & Protocol website.  The new site, intended to provide event planners with a centralized location to find all the necessary information they need to produce a successful event, includes information on policies, entertainment resources, catering options, and many other useful topics.

Please Accept My Sincerest Thanks...

I’ve always felt sending a thank-you note after an event to those who have been of assistance is crucial to the post-event planning phase. As event planners, we know we call upon many peers, colleagues, and volunteers to ensure our events are successful. I consulted the 18th edition of Emily Post’s Etiquette: Manners for a New World for a few thank-you note guidelines that I paraphrase below.

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

Who could forget Humphrey Bogart’s famous last line in Casablanca? Bogart’s character Rick Blaine gave us so many memorable quotes within the 1942 romantic classic, but his final one resonates most with me in reference to both my personal and professional life. While planning events here at Georgia Tech, I am continually inspired by how the development of “beautiful friendships” can significantly impact the outcome of my events and the guests’ experiences.

Summertime... and the Living is Easy

Or, at least it’s supposed to be, right? But, if your department is like ours, you anxiously await the summer as a time to get ahead, only to realize it’s August 20 all over again. In an effort to help us combat this epidemic, we’ve created a summer project list that we hope will keep us on track and prepared for whatever the 2012-2013 academic calendar holds.

A Mother’s Art of Making Things Special

Albeit a few days after Mother’s Day, I thought this post might be a great opportunity to honor my mom for something she does best – making others feel special. My mom never misses an opportunity to ensure we feel loved. I’m inspired by my mom’s actions to see what I can do within our events to make others feel special and leave them with memories they won’t soon forget.

Tips for a Tipper

Throughout the past few months, we’ve focused a lot of attention on event management and planning. However, I don’t want to forget about the second piece to our name – protocol. I’ve recently joined a great organization named Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association, who released a weekly message regarding tipping etiquette last March. Since we are entering vacation season, I thought this topic is very timely for event planners and travel aficionados alike.

What Will You Have?

If you’re like me, you’re constantly concerned with the following three questions regarding meal selection: (1) Can I accommodate all special dietary needs; (2) Are my catering choices fitting (and tasty) for the event; and (3) Will I have enough to feed all my guests? I list a few tips to help you (and me!) answer all the above questions when choosing our next menu.

Event Volunteering – your next networking opportunity

Networking is an important part of career growth and advancement. While we all recognize that we need to do it, our busy schedules often limit our opportunities. If, however, you can take an hour to assist at a check-in table, for example, you can create your next networking opportunity.

Music Options at Georgia Tech

Need a musical group to provide entertainment for your next event? Look no farther than our own campus resources. We’ve researched various instrumental, vocal, and a cappella ensembles and have listed them below, including their contact information and applicable video clips. This list, along with other entertainment and spirit options, can be found on the Institute Special Events & Protocol website.

Enter your Georgia Tech Homecoming event for a chance to win!

As one of the Institute’s most high-profile annual events, Homecoming brings alumni back to campus for reunions, open houses, tailgates, and other events enabling us to showcase all that makes Georgia Tech unique. Every year we receive a number of calls asking us about various events happening around campus most of which we are unaware of. In an effort to better serve alumni and promote your events, we hope you will help us in the creation of a "one stop"online schedule of events at http://www.gthomecoming.gatech.edu/events where alumni can access information about all Homecoming events, whether sponsored by the Alumni Association, Athletics, colleges, departments, students, etc.

Barrelhouse Catering Tasting

From time to time, we'll highlight some of the new services or products provided by our approved caterers and vendors so everyone can partake in the experience. For our first post, we had the pleasure of joining our friends at Barrelhouse for a tasting of their new catering menu.

Excel Tips for the Event Planner

While there is plenty of specialty software on the market for event planners, at Georgia Tech a lot of our work is done in Microsoft Excel. That does not have to be a bad thing, though. Excel can do amazing work for an event planner; you just have to know the tricks. One trick I have fallen in love with recently is Conditional Formatting.

Conditional Formatting allows you to highlight cells that follow a specific rule. The function can be found under Format in the menu bar or on the Home Ribbon.

Best Practices and Policies

A successful event requires just as much behind-the-scenes work as décor and design consideration. At the Event Coordinators’ Network’s 4th Annual Workshop: Rising to the Next Level, one breakout session in particular, Policies and Best Practices in Meeting and Event Procurement, led by Ajay Patel and Sharon Jackson of Business Services, focused on that critical planning.

Keynote Speaker: Rising to the Next Level

This year, the Event Coordinators’ Network welcomed Jim Hooker, cofounder of Stewart and Hooker and former associate senior vice president for Cultural Relations and University Events at the University of Southern California.
In his keynote address, Mr. Hooker spoke about “Rising to the Next Level.” He reminded us that it does not take a large budget to create a great event and having a large budget does not guarantee success. An event becomes great when it maintains consistently high standards and makes an emotional connection with the guests.

Professional Organizations

To join or not to join? To certify or not to certify? Maybe you’ve asked yourself these questions. Four panelists were on hand at the Event Coordinators’ Network’s workshop to provide answers. The organizations represented were the: Georgia Chapters of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI); Meeting Professionals International (MPI); National Association for Catering and Events (NACE); and International Special Events Society (ISES).

Forms of Address for Institute Leadership

Throughout the course of this upcoming academic year, you will most likely plan a myriad of events for various target audiences, where Institute leaders will be invited. Even if you interact with the leaders on a regular basis, it's sometimes confusing to determine how you should refer to them in printed programs, on nametags, or within your seating charts. These questions and many others prompted Special Events & Protocol to develop a forms of address document that can be used as a point of reference for campus event planners. 

Engaging Your Passion

In the few weeks since the Event Coordinators’ Network’s workshop, I have spoken to several colleagues who are interested in finding more event opportunities across campus. They are passionate about event planning but might not have many opportunities to dedicate time and energy toward the task in their current positions and wonder how they might fit more into their daily lives. I offer a few ideas in hopes that colleagues might be able to find some ways to bring event planning into their lives.

Change is a Comin'

Isaac Asimov said, “The only constant is change, continuing change, inevitable change” — and I couldn’t agree more. This year has brought about numerous changes in Special Events & Protocol, from a reorganization within our department to the various ways we coordinate our annual events. I enjoy change — it keeps me on my toes and often enables creativity and innovation; however, I’ve definitely learned some important lessons while navigating change along the way.

Planning a Sports-Related Event

Are you ready to plan a sports-related event that will always have a winning score? Well, let’s get started with a few tips and pointers to make this dream a reality. The first thing to consider is timing, so you can plan your event around a sport that’s in season or perhaps a particular sporting event.  
 

Events at the Campus Recreation Center

Given that it’s fall and we are in the “sport’s spirit,” we can’t forget our great friends at the Campus Recreation Center (CRC) and the wonderful event opportunities they offer. If you are looking for a space for an upcoming staff or department gathering, or hope to plan a meeting with a bit more fun and adventure, look no further than the CRC! Sara Warner, assistant director for Communications and Marketing at the CRC, shared some great information about how you can use the facility for your next successful event.

Baffled by Raffles

I’ve always been confused as to whether or not raffles can be conducted on campus. Some colleagues have cautioned that they shouldn’t be—per Institute policy—while others seem to raffle off items at all their events. So, if raffles are allowed, how do we obtain approval?