Foundations of Meeting and Event Planning

This unit introduces core principles and practical logistics for planning meetings, small events, and exhibits, including purpose identification, scheduling, travel, food and beverage, audiovisual, accessibility, and virtual/hybrid considerations. Students will learn to use RFPs, checklists, basic budgeting, and post-event evaluation tools to prepare for more advanced procurement, marketing, and on-site management in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze various types and purposes of meetings and events to determine appropriate formats, target audiences, timing, and success criteria
• Apply logistical planning strategies and checklists to select venues, transportation, food and beverage, audiovisual/staging, and accessibility accommodations
• Demonstrate preparation of a basic event budget, request for proposal (RFP), and meeting contract checklist to support vendor selection and cost control
• Evaluate virtual, hybrid, and exhibit formats and recommend appropriate service models and post-event evaluation methods to capture leads and measure outcomes