Bought an occasion? They’ve bought a recreation plan – The NAU Overview

A category at Northern Arizona College is popping classes into motion by mixing training with real-world expertise. The Special Events Planning class teaches college students the basics of planning, coordination and logistics by creating tasks that reach past the classroom and into the group. Now, they’re looking for teams and organizations with occasions in want of planning assist. 
“We’re inviting school and college students, in addition to group organizations who need assistance planning an occasion,” mentioned Joshua Merced, assistant instructing professor on the Division of Geography, Planning and Recreation. “We oversee occasions from begin to end and in addition assist with occasions which are already within the planning levels, the place the group companion simply passes over the reins of the occasion to the scholars to assist finalize it.” 
At first of the semester, college students are divided into teams and look over the curated listing of occasions they’ll plan. Merced mentioned the category has deliberate all varieties of occasions, from massive ones just like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Sedona to small fundraisers for native organizations and golf tournaments, giving college students hands-on experiences and profession readiness they’ll add to their portfolio. 
“The course emphasizes not solely how an occasion is deliberate, but additionally find out how to navigate the challenges and tasks that include bringing folks collectively for a shared goal,” Merced mentioned. “By means of hands-on expertise college students acquire perception into teamwork, communications and problem-solving expertise which are important for his or her skilled and private lives.” 
The scholars should meet a number of completely different milestones throughout the course, holding consultations with the teacher, sharing a progress report, writing reflections on their experiences and making a rubric to make sure they’re turning concept into motion. On the finish of the semester, they flip in an in depth portfolio of the occasion they helped plan, displaying timelines, price range templates, contacts and different info that can assist the subsequent class plan an analogous occasion. The portfolio additionally demonstrates the talents they discovered whereas planning and executing the occasion. 
“One of many expertise they work on is budgeting,” Merced mentioned. “Generally you must work with a restricted price range for very extravagant occasions. Additionally they study expertise in important problem-solving, promotions and digital advertising. They discover ways to delegate and belief one another to execute an occasion, working as a workforce and ensuring all of the shifting components are cohesive.” 
Merced mentioned the category is about extra than simply planning an occasion. College students additionally study primary enterprise expertise like writing skilled emails, working with distributors, reserving venues and holding planning conferences. 
“This class supplies college students with expertise they’ll’t get anyplace else,” he mentioned. “We will typically see the thought of program planning from the attendees’ perspective, and never from the individuals who do these occasions. It’s a good expertise to have underneath your belt. It takes issues out of the textbook and the classroom and permits college students to take company and management of their studying. It offers them plenty of transferable talent units that cross any self-discipline or coaching. It additionally strengthens the bonds between NAU and our group companions and may even present college students with job alternatives sooner or later.” 
The category is open to anybody and may be taken as a basic training credit score. It’s a part of a sequence of lessons, however there aren’t any necessities to enroll.  
Proposals for occasion planning assist may be despatched by way of e mail to Josh Merced. The occasion should be hosted between April 11-Could 9, 2026. 
Mariana Laas | NAU Communications
(928) 523-5050 | mariana.laas@nau.edu
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