Popping with potential: Event management student plans pop-up fundraiser for charity during UK study abroad

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—For aspiring event planner Ashley Dale, studying abroad hasn't just been a cultural immersion; it's an opportunity to engage in a new world of academics and Experience-Driven Learning.

The event management senior has spent the past four months at the University of Hertfordshire (UH) in Hatfield, England, as an exchange student. At UH, she has taken on a full course load in event management classes, with topics in business, community, sustainability and technology.

"In some of my previous classes we have touched on sustainability, and touched on business events," explains Dale. "At UH, we've had entire classes on those subjects, like the UN sustainability models and applying it to events. We also talk about case studies and what things look like in practice."

Relevant to the university, Dale will soon be starting a case study on UH's graduation plan and how the event can be held sustainably. 

"Their commencement is actually in the next town over. They have a cathedral that they host it at and a celebration afterwards back on campus. So they're trying to work out how to really make their graduation sustainable," says Dale.

"This includes transporting people, making sure they respect the heritage site, reducing food waste and all of those little aspects. And then it's cool because afterwards we're actually sending our plans to the university, so aspects of it might be implemented!"

Project with purpose

Continuing to apply coursework to real-world scenarios, Dale organized a pop-up store to support the locally-based Willow Foundation as part of her community events class. Drawing comparison to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in America, she says Willow's goal is to create memories for seriously ill young adults through fun-packed days and a chance to meet personal heroes.

"We've gotten clothes donated and we're hosting an on campus event where students can come to buy discounted clothes," says Dale. "So our entire project throughout the class has just been planning that."

According to Dale, her project's team was started with a zero dollar budget and freedom to go any direction they wanted to support the Willow Foundation.

"Part of the idea came from Willow's retail charity shops in town. So, we knew that if we got clothes donated and we didn't sell all of them, they could still be used at their shops," says Dale. "There was much less risk and they were equipped to help us with the event."

"We also wanted it to be on campus for students since thrifting is a very popular thing right now, especially when they're discounted. So we figured it would kind of be a good way to combine everything."  

Dale says the cumulation of the projects she has been able to do at UH during her study abroad is invaluable for her future career in event planning.

"Their classes are so focused on real life application," says Dale. "When I get back I'm planning to add a tab to my portfolio that will have all of my study abroad experiences. And when I get to the point where I'm looking for jobs I can tell employers I have this portfolio that will show all of the work that I've done at WMU."

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