S5E4: PCMA with Experience Vanlife Team

In today's episode, I am with my other PCMA Student Competition teams, Experience Van Life! Ryan and Kiana are reflecting on their experience and providing advice for future competitors! Listen in on two additional perspectives and how it has been memorable to them!

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Transcript

Dr. K: Hello, Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the podcast if you have not listened to last week's podcast for last Thursday's podcast and this Thursday's podcast we are featuring are to PCMA North American student competition groups from the spring, when we had stopped the spring semester, we were at the pinnacle of the North American student competition. We didn't know where our teams were placing if they were finalists what the results were going to be. And so last week, we had the Akilah events team who scored fourth in North America. And today Joining me in the studio is the experienced man life group who scored second in North America with an incredible proposal. We're going to talk about all the different things and some of the feedback from the judges and different thoughts and opinions. But I did want to introduce you to them. So I'm going to have them introduce themselves and then we'll jump right in.

 Ryan: Hello, everyone. My name is Ryan Sedlacek. And I am a senior in the hospitality department with a focus in event planning.

Kiana: Hi, my name is Kiana Walsh, and I'm a senior in the hospitality program at UML.

Dr. K: You guys also had two other team members who unfortunately couldn't join us today. One was preoccupied in her schedule and the other one graduated and got an amazing job. And so she is out working every day hard to squeeze in a time she's working, just loving her job and  Kiana, you actually work with her. So that just goes to show that your teamwork can result in real life jobs, which is an incredible opportunity. All right. So let's review. It's been a couple months now. And I hope you guys remember what your what's your actual proposal was? Will you kind of walk us through what your concept what your event idea concept actually was. So the listeners can hear about it.

Kiana:  Experience van life as a two week long experience for van lifers whether they be an experienced van life or a beginning van lifer, or someone who just wants to do a gap year and travel the world through car. So we focused on education and community which a lot of other van life events didn't have out these educational sessions. We had influencers teaching them about tips and tricks to van life. And each of these education sessions locations were across eight different states on the western part of the United States. We also had campgrounds in which we had community activities for our attendees to grow together and form a van life community.

Ryan: The really cool part of our event is that we partnered with so many different companies like GoPro to have GoPros on top of lot of the vans and at the education sessions with a component of our app. So that way, if people in another country weren't to experience, Van life  they didn't just watch a presentation. No, they got to experience the whole thing with all of our attendees.And we partner with triple A to so any problems along the road, whether it be a flat tire, or any other maintenance issues on your van, you could call triple A and we would have someone out there immediately.

Dr. K: I distinctly remember when you guys were talking to me about your proposal, and I immediately said, Wow, that's so innovative. That's just such a great concept. And van life is so trendy. One of the things that our listeners might not know is that the PCMA North American student competition has a theme every year. And the themes vary drastically from year to year. It's been everything from human trafficking, like it was this year. Last year, it was recovery discovery, which was kind of their internal initiative throughout COVID to help our industry recover. And I think that's the sole reason why you guys maybe got second instead of first place, because you crafted this incredible event. And you took into consideration all of these things. For example, all of your stuff was outside and not inside at these conference rooms except a couple stops, which were socially distanced. You intentionally kept all of your workshops very small, and hands on where you'd have a speaker outside at a park or campground and then you'd have small groups of the van lifers come up, and you really incorporated a lot of the principles but you didn't craft your specific proposal just against the criteria. As you reflect back on your proposal, and w hen you think about all these things when you think specifically about judges feedback and and different opportunities for improvement in terms of the competition? What goes through your head? What are you specifically thinking about?

 Ryan: So looking back at our whole competition, and all the time that we put in, we really wanted to craft our event to what an attendees dream experience would be for van life. Because when we did all of our research, there was a lot of stuff on van life like events and stuff, but there wasn't learning or, and community there was either community or there was a weekend, where it would be how to improve your van. We really catered towards the attendee, rather than the judges perspective on what they what our proposal actually was and looking back, I would add a few more things from the rubric just because we focus so much on the attendee and making something super cool. And not exactly the criteria that the judges were looking for. They wanted to check boxes off their rubric, rather than go off on a limb, because that's what they were given from the PCMA was a rubric rather than picking the coolest best event.

Kiana: We followed a guideline. And when it comes to events, and judging events, it's hard because all events are different, and not each one's going to be the same. And not everyone should be looked at the same. And when judges are giving a rubric and guidelines to look for an event, I think it takes away from their perspective about the creativity that PCMA was asking for. And they were focusing more on what they needed to make sure was in our proposal, instead of looking at the whole big picture.

Dr. K: I think that's a really great distinction that you all make. And I would follow that up with during our post con when we were debriefing. The events and and the presentations and the experience, and talking about opportunities for improvement and moving forward. I think Kiana, you made a great point of saying PCMA set the rules and the guidelines. And the students followed those guidelines in terms of creativity, storytelling, really all of that outside of the box thinking but then they had external judges who are leaders in our industry, who weren't signing up necessarily to read 1000 plus plus pages in one week to evaluate them. And when you have a proposal, that's 250 pages, which is a book and then you have a rubric with 10 check marks, they really do look to make sure that it's easy to see that you've actually accomplished all of the things in there. And one thing that you all did was super specific was PCMA said storytelling, and your proposal was super unique in terms of you presented it in a storytelling format. And not just in a here's our chapter book summary. Here's the subheadings that match exactly your rubric. Which Yes, and a competition might be nice to check things off the boxes. But when you're really thinking outside the box, I feel like your proposal was super innovative. Can you share about what your proposal looked like and how you designed it.

 Ryan: Since our event was traveling, we went to Barnes and Noble. And we looked at all the travel atlases and travel books to get an idea before we even started the preparation of doing the layout for our proposal. 

Kiana:  Our proposal was in the format of an Atlas. And an atlas is a travel guidebook with maps and graphics and locations and popular destinations and campgrounds, and activities. And, you know, when it comes to van life, there's a lot that goes in, you  need dump stations, you need to find water running showers. So that's how we incorporated all of our items. And our proposal was through an atlas format. And then we went off to our proposal video. And instead of, you know, just going in front of a board with a PowerPoint and bullet points and going off of that, we decided that we were going to create a video where we ourselves reenact being in this event, starting off with q attendees in a van doing van life. And then we have our headquarters person who's also talking about the budgeting how this event came all together as you're seeing the attendees go through it. And that is what I think put us in second over other teams was that we were creative. And we went out of our way to shoot a video and make it unique and different than a PowerPoint and bullet points. 

Ryan: We really ventured off with our proposal because we we didn't have a set itinerary for each individual. There wasn't you're doing this at this time you're doing this at this time you're doing this at this time, we had education sessions that were at 10, 1, and 3 o'clock. So that way, the attendee could go to any one of those, and also do other stuff on their trip while they're commuting. So we had ideas at each session. So whether you are at in California, you want to go to tide pools or you're an Oregon you want to go to a winery or you're in Wyoming, maybe you could go to a elk wildlife conservation area that was all up to the attendee rather than “This is what you will be doing”. We gave them, “Do whatever you want. But here we are and here are your options.”

 Dr. K: I really don't think it actually had to come down to the video, I think it just came down to the fact that they were probably looking for something more super local, because COVID restrictions were preventing traveling. And then yours was eight states, right? So even though it was local and outside, I think they're like, oh, did they really get the point because it's eight states. And it's a traveling event when you're traveling and spreading germs. Now if this was a different year in a different theme, I think absolutely 100% bomb. But I think that that just goes to the fact that you all were planning 100% for the attendee, and talking about an event of the future, and not just this event that fits into this tiny time period right now. And I think that goes Brian to your point of planning around the attendee and the user and not just criteria, your first event concept was very much in line. And then as you did more and more research about the end user, you kept growing it and growing it and growing it and growing it and it took on a life of its own, to the fact that we are actually going to be doing portions of it, right. So you have experienced van life, which is eight states, but we're actually going to do one of those kind of legs and go out and we're going to be in a van, it's going to be seven students, six students, and myself, it's gonna be super awesome. I'm really looking forward to it. 

Dr. K: Alright, as you look at this process from three months ago, when you look overall, you both grew so much during this process, when you look back, what's the one thing that you feel like you learned the most from planning, executing, presenting from this entire proposal process that you're putting into your life now and plan to in the future?

Kiana: What I'm going to take from me from doing this proposal into my life is as wanting to become a future event planner, one day, attendee engagement is super important. And that's really what I focused on through this proposal. And that started off with a pre and post empathy map of really getting inside the heads of the attendees. Because at the end of the day, the event is for them and setting your self aside to go into their shoes to make it Why should they come? Why would they want to be here? And so that is what I focused on. And I think that's a huge thing when creating events and doing events is participation, engagement, and attendee engagement. And I hope that when I become successful event planner, one day that I will have 100% participant engagement.

 Ryan: Yeah, you know, this is such a good question to ask, because there was so many different opportunities for us to learn and grow. But the thing that stood out to me the most was, you have to put in content, but it's not just content, it's relative content to the attendee. It's relevant content. When I say relative. it's relevant content to the attendee. And I think that's important because sometimes event planners and professionals can get can get stuck up in putting content but not relevant content. And and that's just a really important thing to me. But Kiana and I can both agree that there was so many opportunities that takeaways for our future careers. Right? That was so good, we have to pay you for that later.

Dr. K: So for all of the podcast listeners out there right now, you might not know that the PCMA North American student competition happens every single fall, this year was a little bit different. Because last year's fall competition got moved to the spring. But there is a competition that's happening right now in the fall. There's going to be schools out there and faculty advisors and lots of student groups. And so here you two are your group was second in North America. What advice do you have for all of those students out there listening or their advisors who are listening? What's your advice for groups that are doing it right now?

Kiana: What I would say to the students and the faculty that are going to be doing PCMA competition is that to stay on the same page and to keep revising and pay attention to the details because it is a long process and there's a lot of research that goes into it and budgeting and marketing and you always need to go back and look about what you said because you have to make sure it all flows in make sense. And as the months go on, you are going to forget what you did and the first part of the proposal. And so you need to just constantly look back and relate it to what you're doing now so that you're not going off topic, and you're not growing this project into something that you can't handle.

Ryan: Kiana really hit the nail on the head there without answer I would say. Butmy takeaway that I would say that is important to think about is you might get a little burnout in the middle of it, thinking that you're at a standstill, and you don't know where to go. And to be honest, it is might sound a little blunt, but go in with your full heart hope to win. But you might have to but plan to lose so that way you're not let down at the end. Because you're going to put a lot of time in this project. And it's going to be your your baby that you're going to take care of the whole time. And if they announced that you don't win it, you're going to be a little your heart's going to hurt a little bit, but you're going to pick it back up, and you're going to keep applying everything that you learn throughout this throughout the entirety of your life. I think you should respond to that. Like Yeah, like the other team was like, literally crying. And we were like, Yeah,

Kiana: When we play second, I noticed that you were a little bummed about it. And I was full of joy, like holy we came in second, like, this is insane. This is an international competition. And the other team that was a part of UNL.  I was also like, really sad and sappy. And it was something that I understand how you know, losing is hard. And it's not fun. But if you make it, cheer for that you made it You made it to the top five, you get to the proposal round, even finishing the proposal, you should be proud of yourself, because that is going to be a lot of hard work, and it's going to take a long time.

Ryan: All the hard work does pay off though I carry my proposal around with me, I travel with it, you never know when the opportunity might come that you can show it to someone cuz that is a great piece of your portfolio that this is all stuff that I I am comfortable and able to do. And I would like to work for you. Is there a position available for me in your staff?

Dr. K: I just have to make that. So the PCMA proposal this semester, this year is capped at 85 pages, but your proposal was about 250 pages. And for your team and the other team, I printed out your proposals and bound them and gave them to you all as a goodbye end of semester thing. And for the listeners on the podcast. I have literally walked into rooms where Ryan had his proposal out, and we're showing them to other people. And I'm like, What are you doing? This is a class project. And I just love how incredibly proud you are of it and how proud all of you are. But further, Brian is telling the truth. He's literally carries it around in his car. He said he's flown with it on planes. And then I'm out of time. So I just like turn around at a networking event and pulls it out. It's incredible. Oh my goodness, it's so fun. Okay, so as we wrap up the podcast here, I'm gonna throw a question out for you guys. And it's totally okay, whatever you say. If it's totally not PC, I can delete it. Take it out of the podcast. That's okay. But we're talking about how stressful the proposal can be how you have your ups and downs how you maybe you should be planning to not be winning, right? What was your favorite memory from the entire process? It can be the class, it could be the after class, it could be the homework. What is your favorite memory about any of this process? Because maybe some of the students who are listening to the podcast are like, Oh my goodness, this is so miserable, and they can think about and laugh at your memory.

Kiana: Okay, honestly, it's not really that miserable. We're just explaining how much work it's gonna be but it's not miserable. And like the most fun things is that you get like when you have a good group, like we had such an amazing group. The funnest part about doing experience man life and being in the PCMA competition is the bond that you're going to form with your group members, you are going to go through a lot of ups and downs together, and then you're gonna look back on it and be like we had such fun times, even though we were so in stress mode, we were panic mode. But we were still all there and doing it together. And that's the most fun and like, it's not something that you're going to realize until you look back and you're not meeting with your group every single day. And yeah.

Ryan: On that I will say Kiana and I did get in a fight at the end of our presentation. And we did not talk for maybe about a week and a half to each other because we were so mad at each other because you're both so passionate about opposite things that we wanted to do. But I will say my favorite memory. And also my least favorite memory would probably be the week where I like didn't sleep four out of the five nights of the weekday, and at 3am was Comedy Central here, and we would all just start laughing about something that was not funny at all. But we all thought was funny, because of our sleep deprivation that we had experienced. We all laughed a lot, we cried a lot. And it was it was it was just really cool to experience all that with, with with peers that I wasn't close to at the beginning. And then at the end we were basically family. We now we just hang out just to hang out even though we're not working on our project or doing any schoolwork, we we just became really close friends and and that was pretty awesome. I think the competitive aspect is what brought us together because we all just really wanted to win and we all pushed each other and our own strengths and you know it whoever had a weakness and something that without with someone strength, there was no question of can you do this, it was what can I help with from each of us so that really, you know, just made my heart happy throughout the whole competition was just the view, the cohesiveness that we all had together as a team, it just it really came into play. And it was just it was really awesome to see that looking back and reflecting.

 
Kiana: Another great thing about being a part of the PCMA competition is if you make it to the presentation rounds, that was so much fun to do and be a part of before I did it, um, took this class of spring, I have never done an academic competition before. I've never had to speak in front of judges and explain a proposal, let alone do it in front of a lot of viewers. And so that was It's a whole new experience that you get to do if you haven't done it before. And you get to do it with your friends and I love talking in front of people. So I thought it was the perfect place for me at the perfect time. And it was just so much fun to keep growing as a student and get your foot in the door in this career.

Dr. K: So all of the podcast listeners who are listening in now think I am like the most horrible bitchiest because last Thursday, and this Thursday, you're all talking about staying up all night, showering NAS multiple days staying up delirious, and I promise I'm not that bad but also like a minute with you. I do want specifically for your group. I'm going to talk about my favorite memory. And it's probably not what you guys think I did not share my favorite memory of the other group but this one I think the podcast listeners will love. So Ryan reference how you guys gotten this big fight and you didn't talk for weeks like the presentation for my favorite is you both were in a group meeting an Ally who was sick, she was at home and so she had zoomed into the class. So she was on a laptop and you two are there looking at the laptop talking to each other. And you got in this fight. Like, literally I was like, Are you too married, you got in this really loud fight, because you were both so passionate. And I'm standing on the other side of the room with the other group, like helping them through something. And then your voices just raised. And you guys were legit, like fighting with each other about how passionate you were. And Ally was on zoom. There was nothing she could do. And she was like, “Guys, guys, it's okay!” And you guys were just both ignoring her. And you were just going at it. And then finally, like, you turned your chairs away from each other, and alleys. Like, I don't know what's going on. And then she texted me like “Dr. K, are you there? Can you help?” And it was just so that's just how passionate you both are. And that's one of my favorite memories is Allie being like, “Hello, are you we're okay, we'll get together.” And so that was that was a lot of fun. You had something

Kiana: I want was no animation involved after that fight.

Ryan: I will say cause Dr. K, it makes it sound like she was making us do all that she did not require us to stay late. She did not say your work is bad, redo it.But that's all what we want. We wanted to keep improving. And and I think that's what we did. We just took what we did what it took to get us where we did. And so that's why all those hours and time spent it definitely we could turn in less superior work. And Dr. k would have been okay with that. But we just really pushed ourselves. And so that's how we stayed so late, we just we want to do we had a passion just to win. And that's so even though we didn't get it, we we tried our little hearts out We sure did.

 
Kiana: That the difference and think when you relate PCMA project and proposal to other classes is I'm not gonna lie. Sometimes you do assignments just to get the assignment done. And this isn't the type of assignment that you can do to get it done. Especially when it's the field that you want to go into, like me and Ryan, like we were just so driven and so passionate about it. And when we didn't see eye to eye, we weren't ever going to. And so it's not they were making it sound super hard and brutal. But that's just because we were so hungry to win. And we had so much passion. And we had a stellar idea and a great proposal. And I think it turned out fantastic. Even though we took second place f

Ryan: Fom where the idea first was for, for reference to to the viewers. I know they don't know. I'm not the brightest. And the first day of class, I had to leave a little bit early because I had another class which was my soul manque , a wine class. And it I didn't know it was a mini course. And so it didn't start till March. And in January, I left class and then waited in this dark classroom for 15 minutes, and no one showed up. And so I went back to the classroom. And they had the idea of Van life. Because before that we had no idea what we were doing so so it it was really cool to see from the beginning on we were just like van life is pretty cool. There's a movie coming out that's nominated for the Academy Award called Nomad. And it's about this lady that lives in a van. And, and so from there, it really just blossomed into this massive event that that was really just started like, hey, do you think vans are cool? Yeah, vans are pretty cool. Like I could live in a van. And, and then it turned into what we wanted to experience because we were all very outdoor people. And you know, like some of our education sessions and areas was at a campsite. Or maybe it was in the bottom of a canyon, or we were trying to take venues that hadn't ever really, you know, been considered like, Oh, it's just this Meadow in Montana. And that is where we're going to have an education topic about getting a water system installed in your van.It was just really, really interesting to see how it all came together. I think it was because of all our ideas that all of our different backgrounds. 

Dr. K: Well, and one of the things that I loved so much was that you all decided for your video that you were going to actually film it in a camper van. And then coincidence, you just happen to have a teacher who had a camper van in her driveway. And you all really took advantage of that opportunity came out, staged my van and did all of those things, which was awesome. If you are interested in watching the videos that we're talking about in the podcast from last week. And this week, you can go to the extraordinary events initiative, Facebook page and click videos. And both of the proposal videos are on the Facebook page so you can see what those look like with that. With that I want to thank everybody so much for taking the time to make the time to log in today to download the podcast to listen in time, of course is our most invaluable asset and we did not take it lightly. Thank you so much to Kiana and Ryan for coming into the studio today and sharing about your experience. It's been really helpful and thank you both for all of your hard work in the class. For everyone listening in. We will be back next Tuesday or whenever you download this from your preferred platform. Don't forget to Like share, subscribe, share with a friend and make sure that you interact with some of our posts. If you're not following me on tik tok, make sure to follow me on tik tok. My intern is pretty adamant that I'm posting tik tok twice a week and she is editing the crap out of they look good. So make sure that y'all give her some love and support us and make sure to hit that like button and we'll talk with you soon. Thank you for listening to the extraordinary events podcast. Stay tuned for our next episode.