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There is rising interest in careers in event management among College of Business Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) students. Visiting Assistant Professor in HTM  Rojan Baniya, Ph.D., teaches a Special Event class. Baniya and his students invited Vinka Boediman to share her experience working at Gourmet Events, Hawai‘i, one of the top event management companies. Starting as an Event Production Intern, she worked her way up to Account Executive. Boediman’s experience of working in an event management company and managing several events provided invaluable insights to the event management career aspirants of the class. They learned that an events management job could provide access to exclusive venues, chances to meet and deal with diverse and reputable clients, work in a collaborative environment, and work on diverse events. But the students also learned one should be ready for long hours, high-pressure and high-stress jobs, dealing with demanding clients, and having a challenging work-life balance. Overall, the students learned what managing an event and being part of an event management company entails.

Professor Baniya and his students extend their sincere mahalo to Vinka Boediman for her time and effort in sharing her professional experience.

At HPU College of Business Administration and Hawai‘i Pacific Å·ÃÀAƬ, faculty reach out to industry professionals who bring invaluable experiences to the class. When you interact with someone who has ‘walked the way,’ you get a first-hand perspective. This way, faculty are able to promote practical, experiential, and innovative education at the Hospitality and Tourism Program of HPU’s College of Business Administration.