Event Management Association inaugural meeting

A new student organization at Virginia Tech is giving students the opportunity to move beyond attending events and start creating them.

The Event Management Association (EMA) is launching this fall as a student organization dedicated to providing hands-on event experience, professional development, industry connections, and leadership opportunities for students across the university.

While the organization is connected to Pamplin College of Business’s Event and Experience Management program, membership is open to students from all majors, disciplines, and experience levels. No previous event management experience is required.

“Events bring together so many different disciplines. From marketing and communications to hospitality, business, design, technology, finance, and leadership,” said Tarah Warner, Assistant Professor of Practice in Event and Experience Management and club advisor. “We want EMA to reflect that. Our goal is to create a space where students from across the university can come together, learn from one another, and gain meaningful experience by actually creating and executing events.”

A central focus of EMA will be experiential learning. Members will have opportunities to participate in the planning and execution of events while developing skills that can translate to careers both within and beyond the events industry.

Through EMA, students will have opportunities to:

• Gain hands-on experience planning and executing events
• Network with event industry professionals and Virginia Tech alumni
• Participate in workshops focused on event planning, marketing, budgeting, leadership, and other professional skills
• Collaborate with students from different majors and disciplines
• Build their résumés and professional portfolios through real-world experiences
• Take on leadership roles and help shape the future of a new and growing Virginia Tech organization

EMA also looks forward to becoming a resource for the broader Virginia Tech community. The organization plans to explore opportunities to collaborate with university programs, departments, colleges, student organizations, and other campus partners that need assistance planning and executing events.

These partnerships will provide campus organizations with additional event support while creating valuable opportunities for students to put classroom concepts into practice.

“Students learn so much when they are given the opportunity to work on a real event with real stakeholders, deadlines, budgets, challenges, and expectations,” said Tarah. “We want EMA to help create more of those opportunities while also contributing something valuable to the Virginia Tech community.”

Students interested in learning more about the Event Management Association are invited to attend the organization’s inaugural meeting:

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026
6–7 p.m.
340 Wallace Hall

The meeting is open to students interested in joining or simply learning more about the organization.

EMA is also seeking students interested in taking an active role in shaping the organization through leadership positions. Leadership applications are due September 11 at 11:59 p.m.

Students can register their interest here or apply for a leadership position here.

Although EMA will provide students interested in event careers with direct industry experience, the organization’s broader mission extends beyond preparing students to become professional event planners.

Event management requires communication, collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, budgeting, project management, customer service, adaptability, and leadership. These are skills applicable across all industries.

By bringing together students with different academic and professional interests, EMA aims to create an environment where students can build those competencies while developing relationships with peers, alumni, industry professionals, and the broader Virginia Tech community.