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Meeting & Event Management

EIU's Meeting and Event Management Minor, open to all students outside the Hospitality and Tourism major, teaches the planning, funding, marketing, and management of meetings and events. Students take core hospitality courses plus electives from tourism, recreation administration, communication, and business — preparing for real career opportunities in hotels, convention centers, corporate business, and wedding venues.

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Meeting & Event Management

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Degree Level
Minor
Delivery
In Person
Credit Hours
18 Total, 18 in Major
Careers
Entertainment, Managers
Meeting & Event Management students at EIU

Why Study Meeting & Event Management at EIU?

  • The minor welcomes students from any major except Hospitality and Tourism itself, making it a genuinely accessible add-on to almost any degree.
  • The curriculum is explicitly built around planning, funding, marketing, and managing real events — not abstract business theory.
  • Four electives pulled from tourism, recreation administration, communication, and business let students shape the minor around their specific interests.
  • Graduates are prepared for roles across hotels, convention centers, corporate business, and wedding venues — not a single narrow career track.
  • Real graduates of EIU's hospitality program credit their faculty and coursework with directly launching their careers.
"I chose Eastern IL University because it is close to home, allowing me to stay connected with my support system, including family and friends. It also offers a respected accounting and business program that has helped prepare me with the skills and knowledge needed for my future career."
Mariah Hoene
Class of 2026, Accounting and Management, Concentration in Human Resources
Mariah Hoene, Accounting and Management, Concentration in Human Resources at EIU

Hands-On Experience

  • These required courses provide foundational, applied training in how the events and hospitality industry actually operates.
  • Students can build real depth in communication, recreation administration, or business alongside hospitality-specific coursework.
  • Students in EIU's hospitality program consistently point to networking with actual industry professionals as a defining part of their education.
  • Graduates of EIU's hospitality program have gone on to roles at organizations like Aloft Hotels, Hilton, and Disney Parks & Resorts.
  • Students describe personally connecting with faculty who shaped their readiness for the industry, rather than being one of many in a large lecture hall.
Explore Courses
Hands-On Experience, Meeting & Event Management students at EIU

What You'll Learn

Meeting, convention, and event planners organize a variety of activities including weddings, educational conferences, business conventions and trade shows, sporting events, community festivals, and corporate special events. The minor introduces students to the aspects of planning, funding, marketing, and managing meetings and events in a variety of settings.

View in Catalog
$61,160
Median Salary 4 Years After Graduation

Career Outcomes

  • Entertainment & Recreation Managers
  • Food Service Managers
  • Lodging Managers
  • Fitness & Wellness Coordinators
  • Spa Managers
  • Regulatory Affairs Managers
  • Compliance Managers
  • Loss Prevention Managers

Career Insights

Job Outlook ★ Bright Outlook Grow Rapidly · Openings
Preparation Needed Considerable (4/5)
Personality Fit Enterprising

Connect With Us

Lisa Brooks
Professor
tlbrooks@eiu.edu
3106 Lumpkin Hall
217-581-2627
Lisa Brooks Message Lisa

Message Lisa

or email tlbrooks@eiu.edu directly
Nichole Hugo
Professor Hospitality and Tourism, Graduate Coordinator of Sustainability, MBA Graduate Coordinator
nhugo@eiu.edu
3625
217-581-8595
Nichole Hugo Message Nichole

Message Nichole

or email nhugo@eiu.edu directly
Billy Panther
Head of Panther Pride
Old Main
217-581-2223
Billy the Panther Message Billy

Message Billy

or email billy@eiu.edu directly

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