Finding a degree that encompasses everything a student wants in a career can be hard. Lisa Stringham, who was looking for a business core and a creative outlet, found the Department of Experience Design and Management (ExDM) program at the BYU Marriott School of Business had a lot to offer.
“I’m glad I did ExDM because I learned event-specific skills that I could not have learned in another major,” says Stringham. “Events are the most fulfilling part of working in business for me.”
The ExDM program fit Stringham’s ideal major because she received the business core she needed while her major classes were focused on creative areas. This perfect combination allowed her to fulfill her creative needs and find her future career path in event planning and tech companies.
To fulfill her creative side in high school, Stringham baked cakes for different types of events. She began by baking a cake for her cousin’s wedding, then her best friend’s wedding, and her cake baking endeavors grew from there. Every year she has added a few more events to bake for. “It’s a fun way to keep staying connected to that area of the event industry,” says Stringham.
Stringham loves baking cakes, but for her degree she chose to take on the ExDM program at BYU Marriott. “I loved the professors and wanted to get to know the department better, so I applied,” she says. “The program was one of the best things about my experience at BYU. ExDM guided my career path.”
While working on her degree, Stringham gained a variety of experiences that provided her with exposure to different kinds of events. Her internships, classes, projects, and jobs all led her toward a career in corporate event planning for a tech company.
In 2016, she traveled to Marseille, France, for a study abroad program where she worked for Les Petits Frères des Pauvres. Translated, Les Petits Frères des Pauvres means the little brothers of the poor. The organization is a federation of volunteer-based nonprofit organizations committed to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly. While in France, Stringham organized smaller community events with twenty to thirty people in attendance. The events were designed to bring the community closer together.
“I realized that I like bigger events after doing smaller events with Les Petit Frères des Pauvres,” says Stringham. “However, the months I spent in France gave me the international experience I needed.”
During an internship in Boston with Mentor Meeting and Events, Stringham worked with multiple pharmaceutical companies where she planned larger events like corporate conferences and meetings. Through this internship, she gained experience that provided even more encounters with the kind of events she wanted to do after graduation.
In her classes, Stringham planned community events for The Shops at Riverwoods business area in Provo, Utah, as well as the city of Ephraim, Utah, and through these experiences was one step closer to finding her favorite type of event planning. While working for the BYU Information Technology office, she discovered a love for tech, and her decision about what kind of career she wanted became easier.
“Some people struggle to pick a career path because there are so many options. It was helpful for me, after graduation, to know what kinds of jobs I wanted to look for,” says Stringham. “ExDM exposed me to each option so I could figure out which one fit me best.”
When searching for a job after graduation, she got a graduate internship at Workfront in Lehi, Utah, a technology services company. When the internship was over, Workfront offered a full-time job where she could be creative in event planning for a tech organization and now works in customer events and marketing for the company.
“Don’t be afraid to get exposure to different industries to figure out which one you like the best and which one you will work the best in.” says Stringham.
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Writer: Caitlyn Alldredge
