Event Planning Tips

Here are some tips to think about when planning your next event.

Need help planning your event? Fill out this form

One month before your event

• Fill out Events and Activities Form and turn in to Darcy Verwys in the office of campus conferences and events (OCCE).

  • While filling out this form think about:
    • When?
    • Where?
    • Who? Target audience, speaker, panel… think through everyone who will be participating and attending.  Invitations need to be sent out and confirmed.
    • What? What do you need to pull this off?  Food? Projector and screen? Sound system?
    • Why? Review your purposes and goals for your organization – does this event fulfill any or all of them?  If not, rethink the whole thing!
  • Ask the Student Organizations’ Advisory Board for help!  Submit your event to SOAB and let them help you put this together.

One week before your event

• Advertise:

  • Design your posters
    • Email to printing services (with your poster attached, your student organization’s name, and the number/size of posters you need). Pick up your posters from printing services and drop them off to get stamped in the Student Development Office.
  • Submit your event information to Student News before four-o’clock PM the day before you want your ad to run by sending an email to student-news@lists.calvin.edu. 
  • Think about creating a facebook event or buying a Chimes ad or CVN commercial.
    
• Gather:
  • Shop for supplies/snacks. Remember to use your tax exemption number (since this is for a non-profit organization), and keep your original receipts and copies of those for reimbursements).  Submit honoraria for speakers/bands. 
  • Request audio visual needs through the AV department. 
  • Request catering needs through food services. 
  • Designate a set-up crew and a clean-up crew from within your organization. 
    • Remember to get cell-phone numbers of helpers.

Hours before your event

• Communicate:

  • Email reminders to leadership and invitees.  Consider facebook reminders.  Gather attention by maybe chalking the walkway or wearing a sandwich board…
• Gather:
  • Last minute shopping for plates/cups/utensils, prizes and decorations.
• Location:
  • Arrive early for set-up, check equipment and check that the set-up crew is present.

After your event

• Clean-up:
  • Check that clean-up crew is present and working, take down advertisements and decorations, return borrowed/rented equipment.
• Appreciate:
  • Send out thank you cards and any remaining honoraria, evaluate with leadership team, get feedback from attendees over facebook, email, or conversations.
• Paper:
  • Submit receipts for reimbursement

People you should know about if you want to…

• Show a movie or host a concert: Ken Heffner, Student Activities Office
• Reserve a space on-campus: Darcy Verwys, OCCE
• Order catered food: Marla Petruzi, Dining Services
• Figure-out money: Loren Henry, Finance Chair
• Fundraise: development@calvin.edu