We will hold the three week Summer Intensive Program in July. To view the Summer Intensive schedule, please click HERE.
The SSU Event and Meeting Planning Certificate Program has been developed to acquaint the student with the common components of managing well-executed meetings: selection of appropriate sites, pre-event publicity and marketing, audio-visual, budgeting, negotiation and contracts, food and beverage, and on-site management.
The SSU program was designed by meeting professionals to meet the growing need in the event and meeting planning industries. The program offers a curriculum focusing on practical knowledge taught by instructors with first-hand experience in the field. Many of the faculty are affiliated with the Northern California Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI).
The program includes nine core classes and a variety of electives. A certificate of completion is issued to students who complete all core classes and six electives. Applications for award of certificate must be accompanied by a $50 certification fee. Program requirements can be fulfilled in two semesters with Saturday classes. Students may enroll in individual classes to increase their knowledge in specific areas of interest.
Enrollment Procedures
No formal application to the program is required; courses are open to those not enrolling in the full certificate.
Program Coordinator
Joni Boucher, B.S., serves as the SSU Program Coordinator. She can be reached at 707/664-2394.The program has been approved by the State of California as an eligible training provider. It appears on the approved provider list (EPTL) under the auspices of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
Career Information
Meetings and conventions now represent a $95 billion industry in North America alone. The key to a successful event, whether it is a national convention, an international trade show, a fundraiser for a nonprofit association, or a family wedding, is knowledgeable and sophisticated planning that fulfills the clients' expectations.
Businesses, associations and individuals plan and produce a variety of meetings and events for education and training, to train employees, update product information, or reward high achievers. They may use either independent meeting planners or company employees who function as event planners to make travel arrangements and schedule meetings and seminars. The occupation of Meeting Planner has been officially recognized by the Department of Labor since 1989.
Nine core courses and six elective courses are required for a Certificate of Completion, for a total of 98 hours of instruction. Courses are open to those not enrolling in the full certificate.
Core Courses
All nine courses are required for the certificate:
- Fundamentals of Negotiation
- Event & Meeting PlanningFundamentals
- Event & Meeting Marketing
- Audio Visual Basics
- Dollars & Sense: Budgets, Accounting & Financial Management for Meeting Management
- Site Selection
- Mastering the Maze: Contracts and Liability
- Food & Beverage Management
- On-Site Management
Electives
Six elective courses are required for the certificate:
- Independent Event & Meeting Planner
- Special Event Planning
- Corporate Meeting & Business Travel
- Meeting Planning Internship
- Incentive Travel
- Trade Show Management
- International Conferences & Trade Shows
- Destination Management
- Special Event Planning: Community & Nonprofit Event Management
- Wedding Planning and Consultation
- Careers in Event & Meeting Planning
Winery Event Management
Sonoma County Job Link offers online labor market information and links to job search sites.
Meeting Professionals International
Northern California Chapter of MPI 415/896-6447
Successful Meetings
355 Park Avenue South
New York, New York 10010
Meetings in the West
550 Montgomery Street, Suite 750
San Francisco, CA 94111
Meetings Industry Mall
Do I need to make a formal application to the program?
No. Students may enroll in any course in the program at any time.
Do I need computer skills?
They are not required in order to enter the program, but the majority of employers expect computer competency in word processing, database management and spreadsheets and the ability to learn industry-specific software programs.
Will I get on-the-job experience while I am in the program?
The elective course entitled "Event & Meeting Planning Internship" is designed to give students the opportunity to gain 40 hours of practical experience.
Who teaches the courses?
The faculty is comprised of meeting managers, event planners and conference consultants with many years of varied experience in the field. Many of the faculty are affiliated with the Northern California Chapter of Meeting Planners International (MPI).
How do I earn the Certificate of Completion?
Students must complete the nine core classes and six elective classes to earn a certificate.
How long does it take to earn a certificate?
The program requirements can be fulfilled in two semesters with Saturday classes. In the summer, a three-week intensive program is offered in collaboration with San Francisco State and San Jose State Universities. The entire program may be completed in three weeks by taking courses at all three campuses.
How does obtaining a certificate advance my career?
The Certificate of Completion attests to your competency in the required and elective courses. Because you learn meeting and event planning techniques and marketable skills in the program, you are qualified for entry level employment.
Do I have to pass a licensing test to work as a meeting planner?
No. Graduates may, however, wish to build on their education and experience by participating in the Certified Meeting Professional Program, which is administered by Meeting Professionals International.
Staff:
Joni Boucher, B.S., is a program coordinator in the School of Extended Education.Faculty:
Toni Bodenhamer has owned a marketing and event management company since 1981.
Jeremy French is the Production Manager at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa.
Thomas McDougall has worked for international hotel chains, corporate travel agencies and incentive travel houses for over 25 years.
Judith Rivers-Moore is the proprietor of Beautiful Events, specializing in weddings and special events.
Dorance Scott, CMP, is the convention sales manager and catering manager for the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park.
Elizabeth Slater is the owner of In Short Marketing and has been creating winery events for over a decade.
William Swearingen, M.B.A, CMP, has 32 years of experience in meeting, conference and special events planning and has worked with the State of California for the past 25 years.
Jill Wien Badger is a cum laude graduate of Florida International University's School of Hospitality Management with 20 years of industry experience.