Stevenson University is now offering a new professional minor in event planning, led by Department of Communication Professor Dr. Leeanne Bell-McManus, to enhance the university’s range of professional minors.
The university decided it was time to add and update the professional minors to create more opportunities for students. There are now seven total professional minors at Stevenson, including the two newest additions of event planning and web design, with updates to the software design and coding minor as well.
The addition provides an opportunity for students interested in career paths like wedding planning, sports management, event and operations management, and more.
Bell, who wrote a textbook on event planning, said the class will prepare students in her specialty.
“The courses that students will take will give them the communication piece and theories to understand how to work with clients, manage a budget, and all the logistics behind it,” said Bell.
Completing the professional minor requires just four courses: CM-265 Event Planning and Publicity, CM-270 New Media Communication, CM-275 Principles and Practices of Public Relations, and an advanced event planning course beginning next year, Spring 2025.
“These four courses offer the communication skills to understand your client, and how an event needs to be put together,” Bell said.
One junior business communication major, Libby Kearns, has already declared the event planning professional minor.
“I’m interested in a career in event planning,” Kearns said. “I’m on the board for MAP (Mustang Activities and Planning) so I do plan events, but the professional minor gives even more insight on how to apply this in the real world.”
Students interested in the event planning professional minor can declare the minor now and begin taking the required courses as early as the upcoming Spring 2024 semester.
