LAUNCH: to start or set in motion.
by Eliza Brown and Lauren Fraser
This year, the Ted Rogers Management Conference (TRMC) launched 150 student delegates from across Canada into their careers.
Hi, I’m Lauren. And I’m Eliza. We are both members on the TRMC team and want to give you behind the scenes access into all of the drama and excitement that goes into planning one of the largest student run, three day undergraduate conferences in the country.
Lauren: One of my jobs as VP of public relations was to get media to cover the conference. This was a long process with no promise of results. Up until the day before the conference, none of the media I had pitched to had confirmed that they were coming. Like Eliza, I was a nervous wreck. The night before the conference I was tossing and turning thinking about a last ditch effort to get someone, anyone to cover the event. The next morning the conference began and I was running around making sure the events ran smoothly and trying not to pay attention to the lack of media coverage. To my surprise, at the first event, the Ryerson Business Forum, someone tapped my shoulder and said, “Um Lauren, should you be dealing with that person holding a CP24 camera? They look lost.” Needless to say, my head spun. CP24 ended up covering the event, as well as the Eyeopener, Ryersonian and a number of other Ryerson campus media. I learned so many valuable skills about public relations through this experience, like how reporters and journalists often confirm last minute. I also learned a lot about myself and how to work creatively with a team. I wouldn’t trade my experience with TRMC for anything.
Eliza: While the conference consisted of twenty-one events, planning the Multicultural Show as a part of the events committee was by far the most thrilling moment for me. At the annual show, talent comes from all over Ryerson and the Toronto community to celebrate the cultures that make up our diverse city. Although I had all of the acts who would be performing scheduled months in advance, I had heard horror stories from previous years of acts dropping out last minute, leaving the show shortened and unable to find replacements. Sure enough, three days before the conference, once every last detail had been secured, I had a dance group drop out of the show! Needless to say, up until ten minutes before the performances I was still worrying about last minute surprises. When the first act, the African drummers Ijo Vudu Dance International, missed their sound check, I was in a panic. But just as I was trying to come up with a Plan B, they arrived! Next thing you know, Ijo Vudu is on stage, bringing so much energy to the crowd. They had every single delegate out of their seats following along to an African dance while drums were being played. This was by far one of the most remarkable parts of the night. Although coordinating this event was more stressful than I had anticipated, the satisfaction of seeing over 150 student delegates enjoy the show made it all worth it.
Despite all of the ups and downs, at the end of the day, helping plan and run the Ted Rogers Management Conference was the most rewarding experience of both of our university careers. Not only did we feel this way, but so did our delegates. Viktoria Baloiz, a third year student, said, “TRMC was one of the best events I have ever attended. Speakers, workshops, networking, case competition, gala night and great surprises from the organizations! It was more than a conference – it created a great atmosphere for delegates to get to know each other better, and gave us a chance to work together.”
If you’ve enjoyed our stories, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want to apply to either attend or work with the Ted Rogers Management Conference next year! And remember, ALL faculties are encouraged to be a part of TRMC. The conference teaches delegates universal skills to help students from any walks of life in their future careers. Check out our website at http://ryersontrmc.ca or follow us on social media to keep up to date for application announcements!
Thanks!
– Eliza Brown and Lauren Fraser
