National Student Education Conference Support

Entry Details

When the Carolinas Chapter had the opportunity to host CMAA’s National Student Education Conference in Charlotte, NC, in November 2024, we recognized it as a defining moment. It was of the utmost importance to us, that we prioritized this event and ensured every student from the Carolinas who wanted to attend, could, without financial barriers. The Carolinas Chapter CMAA, the Carolinas Club Foundation, and a group of generous tech partners proudly covered 100% of registration and lodging costs for all Carolinas students who wished to attend.  This commitment ensured that every student in our region had access to: - Educational programming at the national level - Networking opportunities with peers and industry leaders - Professional development that builds a strong pipeline of talent for the club management industry  By removing financial barriers, our chapter reinforced the importance of investing in students as the future of our profession.  This initiative elevated the Carolinas Chapter in several key ways: - Strengthened student engagement by providing full support which demonstrated a tangible commitment to the next generation.  - Created Chapter loyalty and pride among student members. – Hosting the event while ensuring full participation showcased the Carolinas Chapter as a national leader in student development and professional growth. - Collaborating with our tech partners on this initiative highlighted the power of partnership, creating goodwill and reinforcing sponsor value. - By supporting students now, the Chapter is directly investing in the pipeline of future club management professionals, ensuring the industry remains strong and innovative.  All of these things elevated the Chapter’s reputation as a forward-thinking, supportive, and student-focused organization, while strengthening relationships with sponsors and reinforcing its commitment to the future of club management. We hope that many students will return to the Carolinas when it's time to seek internships and full time positions.

Implementation

When the Carolinas Chapter was selected to host CMAA’s National Student Education Conference, the Carolinas Club Foundation (CCF) and Chapter Boards made student participation a top priority. With support from the Carolinas Club Foundation and a group of generous tech partners, the CCF created a funding model that fully covered registration and lodging for every Carolinas student who wished to attend.  The process to implement this was simple and inclusive: - The Chapter reached out to each of the Universities in our region who have student members and shared the initiative with their faculty advisors; - All registration and lodging expenses were submitted to the Carolinas Club Foundation for full reimbursement immediately following the event;  - The Chapter worked closely with CMAA National and host clubs to coordinate logistics, programming and maximize the student experience.  This seamless implementation eliminated barriers and ensured 100% participation by interested students.  The response from members, students, and partners was overwhelmingly positive. Students expressed deep gratitude, noting many would not have been able to attend without this support, club managers and mentors praised the initiative as a powerful investment in the future pipeline of talent, and tech partners valued being associated with an initiative that had a tangible, lasting impact, and Chapter members felt a sense of pride, recognizing that the Carolinas Chapter is leading the way nationally in supporting students and advancing the profession.