Longwood Academy for Event & Meeting Planning (LAMP) 2021
On Thursday, February 11, 2021, I participated via Zoom in a virtual workshop through the Longwood Academy for Event & Meeting Planning (LAMP). With organizations moving their events to virtual platforms, the Communication Studies department felt it was a great opportunity to learn how event planners are adapting to this new trend. This year’s theme of “Creating Digital Events” brought two professional planners to lead us through how to develop virtual and hybrid events.
I think this year’s LAMP event went exceptionally well. I appreciate that the Communication Studies department took advantage of our new virtual academic landscape to translate LAMP into an online event. My biggest takeaway from the workshop was just how much work goes into organizing and executing online events. As former president and current communications director of the College Democrats of Longwood University, I have worked hard with members and community organizers for over a year to host engaging online events in the midst of a pandemic, so I have certainly experienced this reality firsthand. One surprising thing I learned through my participation in LAMP was how challenging it can often be to entice students and adults alike to participate in virtual events. I would absolutely recommend other students participate in LAMP, not only because the event equipped me with the tools I need to host fun and engaging virtual events down the road, but also because it provided exciting, collaborative, and invaluable virtual workshop time with other Communication Studies scholars.
Below you will find attached my certificate of completion from LAMP. It notes that I successfully attended the workshop and earned CEUs (Continuing Education Units) from the university.
The Writing Center @ Longwood University
As a consultant at the Writing Center @ Longwood University, I help clients at every stage of the writing process (brainstorming, outlining, planning, drafting, polishing, etc.). At the end of each session, I complete a client report form listing what that client accomplished during their consultation, including how the appointment went, next steps for the client, and any other information the instructor and other consultants might need to know. Throughout my time at the Writing Center, I have also worked with clients to recommend other campus resources based on assessed needs, such as Greenwood Library librarians, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), Longwood Recovers, Accessibility Resources Office, LUPD, Subject Area Tutoring, and clubs/organizations related to their interests for social support.
As the Writing Center’s social media manager, I regularly update our social media accounts (Instagram and Facebook), crafting #MemeMonday, #WritingTipWednesday, and #FunFactFriday posts each week.
As the incoming assistant director, I have worked hand in hand with our director and our former assistant director to facilitate the hiring process of new consultants, co-lead training sessions for new consultants, and prepare presentations for bi-weekly staff meetings and workshops around campus. I have also been afforded the opportunity to correspond and collaborate with campus offices, clubs, and organizations to schedule workshops, events, and advisory committee meetings, and I look forward to beginning my new position in the fall of 2022.