Department Spotlight: Campus Events
By Sterling Winslow, '05



"I know about every event on Meredith's campus," said Martha Harrell, head of Campus Events. Meredith is a popular place for churches to hold meetings, brides to get married and take pictures, standardized testing organizations to hold review sessions and school groups to study and learn. In addition to scheduling time for off campus groups Harrell is responsible for scheduling Meredith affiliated groups the spaces they need. Harrell explains more about campus events in this month's 'Program Spotlight.'

Q. What is the full name of the department/program?

A. Campus Events. Six years ago the name changed from Campus Activities to Campus Events.

Q. How many people work in the department/program?

A. Campus Events only has two full time employees - Becky Benson and me. However, we work closely with facilities services to ensure that the grounds and classrooms are set up for the particular function. In addition our department works a lot with Meredith's catering and dining services to ensure that meals are provided for the events where they are requested.

Q. In general, what does everyone in the department/program do?

A. Becky and I work together to schedule events and ensure that when a group is promised a space they are sure to get it. I am responsible for seeing that all equipment is picked up from a previous event in time for the next scheduled activity.

Q. Whom does the department/program serve?

A. We serve all of the Meredith community, students, faculty and staff, to ensure that locations needed for meetings and socials are available and set up. Any off campus group that would like to use our facilities, if the space is still available, must contact me to do so.

Q. What do people think your program does?

A. People think we are responsible for scheduling campus events and do not always know that we are responsible for bringing in revenue. Our department charges a fee for all off campus groups to use any facility to bring money into the college.

Q. How would you describe your department's actual responsibilities?

A. Campus Events' number one priority is to schedule events on campus. We are responsible for talking with the registrar to determine what are the available classrooms after classes are assigned. In addition Campus Events is responsible for ensuring that when someone is guaranteed a space on campus that they received that space in the condition they requested.

Q. How has the department/program changed in the past few years?

A. Technology has changed this department because now all of the scheduling is done on the computer instead of handwritten on a calendar. Meredith has more spaces available for meeting since we have more classrooms. However, when buildings are under construction as in recent semesters it makes scheduling events more difficult.

Q. Any recent news that faculty/staff should know about?

A. One important thing that faculty/staff and anyone interested in scheduling events on campus should remember is to schedule early. For example our department has booked weddings a year and a half in advance. Last year, our department scheduled between 200 and 300 off campus events alone. Meredith is one of the most popular places around this area to hold meetings and events so get your request in early.

Meredith College Recognized for Excellence in Communication

The Meredith College Office of Marketing and Communications earned four awards during the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication. The awards were presented on June 22.

The communications campaign for the opening of the Science and Mathematics Building, including the calendar invitation, commemorative issue of Meredith Magazine, media relations/publicity efforts and web site earned a Gold award for special events in the Community Relations/Total Communications division. The judges awarded this marketing campaign a 98 on a 100-point scale.

The 2002-03 student recruitment publications series, which includes the viewbook, college day brochure and majors brochures, earned a Gold award in the Brochure, Handbook or Guidebook category, scoring a 96.

The Journey to Excellence: Plans, Paths and Progress, Meredith's annual report for 2002-2003 earned a Gold award in the Annual Report category, scoring a 97.

Meredith Magazine earned a silver award for magazines with three or more colors in the publication category.

The Meredith marketing and communications staff members are Kristi Eaves-McLennan, director; Melyssa Allen, projects writer; Kim Marcom, graphic design manager; Betty Crenshaw, graphic designer; Kaye Rains, office manager; David Timberlake, web designer; and Andrea Weaver, web editor.

The Raleigh Public Relations Society presents the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards, which recognize excellence in the communication field during the previous calendar year. Award entries are judged based on the method chosen and creativity used to meet communication objectives.

The competition is open to public relations and communications professionals in North Carolina. Other winners in this year's competition include public relations firms, corporations and non-profit organizations.

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