Signature event, open to the public, to showcase nearly 100 research projects
Menomonie, Wis. – One of the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management’s biggest events of the year is being planned and executed by hospitality students.
The STEMM Student Expo will showcase more than 250 students’ research in nearly 100 projects across a dozen fields of study. The expo, held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, in the Memorial Student Center Great Hall and ballrooms, will welcome more than 200 guests, including faculty, staff, community members and industry professionals. It is open to the public.
The event has been running for more than 12 years, but this is the first year it is being coordinated by university students in Professor Kristal Gerdes’ Hospitality Convention/Meeting Planning class.
“This is the hands-on, minds-on aspect of the polytechnic experience,” said Gerdes, chair of the hospitality and technology innovation department. “The students get to plan and execute the whole event. It’s an opportunity for them to build their resumes and is a springboard for their careers. With this being the first year we’re taking charge of the expo, it’s a learning process. But we’re creating a base for future expos, and with the hospitality students’ help, the event will grow.”
U.S.A.R., United Solutions of Automation and Robotics, will have a Stokes Robotics’ SHEP Quadruped Robot on exhibit at the STEMM Student Expo. The lightweight robotic dog highlights the capabilities and possibilities of different quadruped technologies. U.S.A.R is a Wisconsin-based distributor of a variety of automation and robotic solutions.
And don’t forget to “Find the Pineapple.” A hospitality-style scavenger hunt will be held during the expo, inviting guests to look for hidden pineapples – a symbol of welcome – throughout the Great Hall and ballrooms.
The STEMM Student Expo is one of a number of signature events taking place in early December, including Stout Game Expo on Wednesday, Dec. 10, and the School of Art and Design Senior Show on Friday, Dec. 12.
Creating a better customer experience
Leisure and hospitality is one of the fastest-growing sectors of Wisconsin’s economy, with more than 32,000 jobs created between 2022 and 2032, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. “Within that, events is the fastest growing sector in the hospitality industry,” Gerdes added.
Gerdes’ course is a required, foundational class for hotel, restaurant and tourism management majors. With Forbes luxury management training fused into every hospitality course, students gain skills they can apply anywhere, from five-star resorts to local tourism to university events, sports centers, music festivals, museums and more.
“It’s all about creating a better customer experience,” said Gerdes, who has more than 10 years of experience in the event industry. “I can help walk the students through the experience. I let them know that it’s OK for them to stumble, but I’ll never let them fall. They’re gaining these event-planning experiences now, so that they know what will work and what won’t work in event planning in their careers.”
The hospitality students selected event-planning groups to work in, based on their interests, including design and theme of the event, evaluation and reflection, layout and logistics, marketing and promotion, poster management, registration and program coordination. Each group was given a to-do list, planned their approach and adjusted as needed.
In meetings with CSTEMM Executive Assistant Jacob Anderson and staff at the Memorial Student Center, the class discussed various needs for the event, including technology, catering and room layout, all while maintaining a budget for the event.
HRTM juniors Ian Bryant and Brooke Kugel were members of the marketing and promotions group. They were tasked with designing and producing promotional materials aligned with the event theme and university branding; coordinating event-related social media content and details with campus news and digital bulletins; and updating the expo website.
“Our job is to sell the event. While we’re highlighting current students showcasing their research at the expo, we’re also trying to attract prospective students – new students – to encourage them to participate in the expo in the future,” said Bryant, of Rochester, Minnesota, who has a business administration minor. In high school, Bryant catered events with Powers Ventures.
Along the lines of attracting new students, Kugel added that “Professor Jay Jones always reminds us to show what hospitality students can do. There are a lot of undeclared majors at UW-Stout. Showing those students what we, as hospitality students, are doing is a positive way to bring students into our HRTM program.”
Kugel, of DePere, is also majoring in real estate property management and has an events management minor. She already has several years of experience in event planning. This past summer, she worked at Horseshoe Bay Golf Club in Door County, planning and hosting wine dinners, golf outings, weddings and more. For the past eight summers, she’s worked on events at Door County Jellystone Park. She also plans events and serves as treasurer and service vice president for Gamma Sigma Sigma, the national service sorority.
UW-Stout’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management offers 26 undergraduate and 11 Graduate Studies degree programs through eight academic departments, the School of Management and the Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering.
UW-Stout, a member of the Universities of Wisconsin, is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes. Learn more via the FOCUS2030 strategic plan.
