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St. Thomas Aquinas College Students From Hospitality Management Program Steer Creation of Fourth Annual Winter Wonderland Family Festival
By Angela McDonnell
Winter Wonderland Family Festival, which will take place on Dec. 7 at St. Thomas Aquinas College, is a fun and festive community event. But it is also the fruit of a dozen students from the Hospitality Management Program who are learning about event planning by planning a real event.
The work begins in early September when I huddle with a team of students to explain how they will participate in the annual Winter Wonderland Family Festival. Their responsibilities include scheduling, marketing, budgeting, and execution of the event.
The event, founded four years ago, began as a suggestion during one of STAC President Ken Daly’s “listening tours,” when he took the reins as president.
The thought at the time was that the college was a hidden gem, and that as wonderful as that was, we needed to be more open, more welcoming to the local community and businesses. We needed to burnish our image by working with the community and contributing to economic growth.
At this time STAC was refocusing its academic attention toward experiential learning and career development. The term Experiential Learning (EL) is often misunderstood, sometimes perceived as simply an “internship”. EL is an opportunity to learn while doing. With event planning, students are allocated management roles and responsibilities. In these roles, they experience and navigate genuine challenges. The Marketing Manager, for example, is responsible for creating a marketing plan that includes branding and creating collateral material for an event. Our Public Relations Manager executes the marketing plan. Other management roles include budgeting and accounting, vendor recruitment, volunteer recruitment, and training.
What’s critical to this work – and the festival – is that it forges partnerships with Rockland County businesses. Student Nicole Cangelosi spent weeks communicating with and securing vendors. Creating these alliances raises the college’s profile and it creates a portal for graduating students to align with local businesses.
Being part of the Event Planning and Management team for the Winter Wonderland Family Festival has been an extremely rewarding experience,” said Cangelosi. “It has provided me with the opportunity to grow professionally while contributing to the success of such a wonderful community event. As a Human Resource Manager, I was responsible for a variety of tasks, including reaching out to vendors, managing the registration forms, and training volunteers. I was constantly monitoring my emails to stay on top of important updates since I was the main contact for vendors. These skills will not only support my professional development but will also play a significant role in my long-term success throughout my career”
But that is not where the need for local business support ends.
The WWFF is made possible through the sponsorship and generosity of local businesses.
Beckerle Home Design Center, Celtic Sheet Metal and EDUTrips have supported the event since 2020. In the true spirit of collaboration and local networking, each business invests in a local event that serves as a platform for community involvement and student learning. Students develop essential skills in procuring sponsorship through the initial ‘ask’ to the final ‘ thank you for your support’.
Local businesses meet students, and students can make an impression, which could lead to a job offer or a first step into a career opportunity.
Margaret Dowling Murphy Woodart has been a vendor since the first event.
“This event is a win-win because it allows local businesses to team up with these wonderful college students to put forth a great event that serves the community while also giving vendors like us a chance to showcase our work in-person,” said Dowling-Murphy
The event has grown every year, with nearly 2,000 attendees in 2023.
This could not happen without the tenacity and the social media skills of the students.
Each year the event becomes more and more popular; last year almost 2,000 people attended — a credit to the students’ social media skills.
Last year, Mariead Byrne, class of 24, led the effort to promote the event. In her role as Public Relations and Social Media specialist, she spearheaded the promotion of the event online.
Personally, I get to learn too; no one knows social media like our students do. With Mariead, the rest of the team and I just followed her lead.
Experiential Learning is a safe learning environment. Students are allowed to make mistakes and it’s OK if a plan goes awry. The purpose of the planning process is to anticipate, where possible, and to have a contingency plan.
The motto for each year has been “BIGGER and BETTER” and this year is no exception. In addition to the main attractions, the WWFF is hosting for the first time a ‘Thatch Pub’. This authentic Irish Thatch Pub will add some Irish charm and festive cheer to the overall experience.
The festival is also a platform for local nonprofits and this year it pays tribute to one of its own, a former student Kayla Fitzpatrick. Her parents have created a scholarship in conjunction with St. Thomas Aquinas College and are hosting a ‘Seasonal Bake and Cake’ sale with proceeds going towards the scholarship fund.
“The Hospitality Management Program at STAC played a pivotal role in shaping me into the professional I am today,” said student Alexis Breeze. “Being a part of the Event Planning and Management class challenged me to grow as a professional by treating me like one. This class gave me the opportunity to work directly with outside vendors and organizations, managing real world responsibilities that require critical thinking and staying organized. My experience with the program not only strengthened my skills in communication but prepared me to thrive in high pressure situations. I have secured incredible internships with Saint Laurent and Hermès.”
The WWFF will take place on the lawn at St. Thomas Aquinas College on Dec. 7 from 12 to 6 pm.
Angela McDonnell is a St. Thomas Aquinas College Professor and coordinator of its Hospitality Management Program
