Claire Rew, Event Services Intern with the VBCC has written the following passage about her experience as an intern. Check it out!
A 300 hour internship? Not what I imagined my summer before my senior year at Longwood University to include. With my major being communication studies, I figured I would be sitting at a desk all day long at a job that I found uninteresting. So much for beach days I thought, but little did I know, interning at the Virginia Beach Convention Center was going to be an experience more valuable than ever.
The first day on the job, I met the event coordinating crew, Avery, Keith, Darcy, Samantha, Adrielle, Forrest, Sarah, and Kathy. I could not have had a greater welcome and of course, I got the famous, Keith Bernstein building tour. I later found out, that was only but a rehearsal to prepare me for the two hour Courtney Dyer tour. However, these both were no match for my lack of direction, getting lost in the back of house hallways countless times before I finally figured my way around.
Within the next few days, I started to assist in managing events, walkie-talkie and all. I quickly learned many valuable skills, including problem solving, teamwork, and crowd control, and frequently saw interesting sights, like Comicon cosplayers, emotional wrestlers, and tiny dancers. Through all of the different distractions that come with every event, I can honestly say that I learned something new each day that I spent at the VBCC.
Between events, I was assigned with various projects, such as compiling new staff member kits, creating staff information packets for events, editing event coordinator guides and manuals, and putting together organizational event binders to help keep coordinators on their “A” game. I also attended most pre-conference and client meetings, where I furthered my knowledge of how to effectively communicate and thoroughly plan for events. From ensuring the client’s satisfaction, to making sure the right amount of chairs have been ordered, to attempting to understand EBMS, I now see that the job of an event coordinator is much more than one might think.
After getting the feel of how the VBCC runs and operates, I marched on over to the CVB to hopefully meet some faces behind the many emails I had been receiving. Not knowing much about the positions or tasks the CVB is responsible for, it was interesting to learn about their different departments. Many events would not be held here at the Convention Center if it was not for the marketing and promotional efforts of the CVB. If I were a tourist, I too, would want to come to Virginia Beach after viewing “The Daily Life” blog. Next time a blog article is written about an exciting activity in Virginia Beach, I would be more than willing to tag along just to “get the experience” for myself.
As my internship comes to an end, I feel prepared to someday in the future enter the event planning field. “It takes teamwork to make the dream work” they say, and the VBCC is one fine example of how to make the dream happen. Dedication from all members of sales, event services, operations, sustainability, and all the contractors is required in order to hold a successful event. I am lucky enough to have gotten a chance to meet many of these great people and cannot thank them enough for a wonderful summer and learning experience!
Pictured from left to right: Forrest Harrell, Avery Burgess, and Claire Rew, and Samantha Bernheim in the dolphin costume.