Conference service programs have been in survival mode through the pandemic, adapting to challenging circumstances one day at a time. But in-person events are starting to come back, and it’s time for colleges and universities with summer programs to get prepared for the 2022 season. Erik Elordi is the National Director of Conference Services at COCM, a program that both supports our current institutions and provides program evaluation and standalone management of summer conference services to campuses outside the Capstone network. Erik began his career with COCM in 2015, serving as Director of Residential Facilities and Director of Housing and Residential Life at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington, before transitioning to his current role in March of 2020. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Erik joins host Alton Irwin to discuss COCM’s new resource, ‘3 Things You Should Be Doing Now for 2022 Summer Conferences Recovery.’ Erik explains what inspired him to create the recovery guide, challenging conference staffs to start preparing NOW for Summer 2022. Listen in for Erik’s insight on using the COCM guide—not just to get back where you were pre-pandemic but to exceed your 2019 benchmarks and come back better than before! Topics Covered  How Erik was introduced to COCM through Lauren Pigott and his 6 years with the organization Erik’s role as National Director for Conference Services How his previous work at a COCM site serves Erik in his current role The 3 main components of the COCM Conference Services program What inspired Erik to create the 2022 Summer Conferences Recovery Guide How the recovery guide provides an opportunity for campuses to exceed their 2019 benchmarks Erik’s advice on using the guide to prepare NOW for Summer 2022 Connect with Erik COCM Conference Services Erik on LinkedIn Erik on Twitter Connect with Alton Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Alton at COCM Alton on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Student Housing Matters Podcast - Join the Conversation

3 Things You Should Be Doing Now for 2022 Summer Conferences Recovery – with Erik Elordi

Corey Reedy doesn’t do what he does for the recognition. He truly cares about the student housing professionals he works with, and that inspires him to meet people where they are and pour into them as much as possible. But Corey does appreciate being recognized with the Excel Award because it lets him know he’s doing something right! Corey Reedy is Regional Vice President at Capstone On-Campus Management. Prior to working with the corporate staff, he served as COCM General Manager at Bowling Green State University from 2010 through 2014. Corey has 20-plus years of experience as a student housing professional, and he was the recipient of the 2019 COCM Excel Award. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Corey joins guest host Alton Irwin for the next installment of our Excel Award Interview Series to describe how he serves as a resource for the staff and students he manages at COCM. Corey explains how site diversity makes the scope of his responsibilities unique and reflects on what his colleagues said about his ability to provide individualized support. Listen in for insight on what made Corey successful through the pandemic and learn how seeing his COCM colleagues succeed gives him the greatest satisfaction in his job. Topics Covered  How Corey serves as a resource in his role as Regional Vice President at the COCM home office What made Corey successful through the pandemic and how his role changed How the diversity of the schools Corey manages makes the scope of his responsibilities unique How meeting COCM staff at a student affairs placement exchange (and a perfect summer day at Bowling Green) inspired Corey to take a job with Capstone What tipped Corey off that he was receiving the 2019 COCM Excel Award What Corey’s colleagues had to say about his core values of meeting people where they are and providing customized support How helping to develop COCM staff and students and seeing them succeed gives Corey the greatest satisfaction in his job  Connect with Corey Reedy Corey at COCM Corey on LinkedIn Connect with Alton Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Alton at COCM Alton on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Meeting People Where They Are – with Corey Reedy

“The [COCM Excel] Award is given to one person, but it’s really comprised of everybody on the team. It just happens to be that one person who received it because everybody pushes you to be better and do better. You always see the head coach gets all the kudos, but it’s really the folks that are behind the scenes working day in and day out—they’re truly deserving of it as well.” —Michelle Smith Michelle Smith currently serves as Regional Vice President at Capstone On-Campus Management. Prior to working at the COCM home office, Michelle was Director of Campus Housing at Florida Atlantic University, where she earned the 2013 COCM Excel Award. Michelle was also part of the Capstone founding team, and she has been with the company for the last 17 years. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Michelle joins guest host Alton Irwin for the next installment of our Excel Award Interview Series to explain why she considered the award a win for her entire team at Florida Atlantic. Michelle reflects on her time at FAU and reacts to what her colleagues said about the impact she had there. Listen in for insight on COCM’s ability to promote from within and why it’s so rewarding for Michelle to see that level of growth at every level of the company. Topics Covered  What’s unique about Michelle’s role as Regional Vice President of COCM How meeting Sandy Hill at a retreat early in her student housing career led Michelle to work for COCM Why it was special for Michelle to receive the Excel Award from Sandy Hill How Michelle saw the Excel Award as a win for her whole team at Florida Atlantic University What Michelle’s colleagues had to say about the impact she had at FAU How Michelle thinks about her time at FAU and as the campus partner, Residence Life team and COCM staff worked toward a common goal The sense of satisfaction Michelle feels in nominating COCM staff for the Excel Award Why being able to promote from within is so important to Michelle Connect with Michelle Smith Michelle at COCM Michelle on LinkedIn Connect with Alton Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Alton at COCM Alton on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com  

Why the Excel Award Is a Win for Your Team– with Michelle Smith

Some student housing professionals are only inclined to perform the duties listed in their job description. And others are team players, willing to get their hands dirty to keep things running smoothly. Kerissa Hobstetter falls into the second category, doing whatever needs to be done to provide the best possible experience for her residents. Kerissa is COCM’s Assistant Director of Operations at Fayette Square on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Kerissa began her career with Capstone in 2011, serving freshman at Marshall University before transitioning to the graduate campus at UMB where she earned the 2015 COCM Excel Award. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Kerissa joins guest host Alton Irwin for the fourth in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the diversity of the graduate student population that makes UMB unique. Kerissa describes how her interest in student affairs grew over time, explaining how the opportunity to interact with students gives her the greatest satisfaction in what she does every day. Listen in for insight around the impact of facilities on student satisfaction and learn how being a team player earned Kerissa the respect of her colleagues—and the COCM Excel Award! Topics Covered The small, graduate-level campus Kerissa serves at the University of Maryland, Baltimore What surprised Kerissa about serving graduate students The diversity of the student population that makes UMB unique What Kerissa has learned about communicating with students from all over the world How Kerissa’s interest in student affairs grew over time Why Kerissa was shocked to receive the COCM Excel Award What Kerissa’s colleagues had to say about her willingness to go beyond her job title and get her hands dirty How interactions with residents give Kerissa the greatest satisfaction in what she does The impact of facilities on student satisfaction and retention Connect with Kerissa Hobstetter Kerissa on LinkedIn Connect with Alton Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Alton at COCM Alton on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

To Earn Respect, Be a Team Player – with Kerissa Hobstetter

If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. And lucky for COCM, Scott Schatzer loves to serve others. Scott is the Talent Recruitment and Wellness Coordinator at the Capstone corporate offices, assisting the operations team in the recruitment, hiring and onboarding of field staff and managing COCM’s Learning Management System and Employee Retention and Wellness Program. Scott formerly served as the Director of Housing Operations for the first-year community on the campus of Marshall University, where he earned the prestigious COCM Excel Award. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Scott joins guest host Alton Irwin for the third in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the respect for the past and community support unique to Marshall University. Scott reflects on what his colleagues at Marshall said about his passion to help others, sharing how he approaches each day as a servant leader. Listen in to understand the satisfaction Scott gets from recruiting the best employees possible and supporting COCM’s current employees—so they can better serve our residents, campus partners and each other. Topics Covered Scott’s former role as Director of Housing for the first-year community on the campus of Marshall University The respect for the past and community support unique to Marshall University What Scott is responsible for in his new role as Talent Recruitment and Wellness Coordinator at COCM How visiting other sites helps Scott better serve his colleagues at COCM How connecting with a mentor at COCM led Scott to work for the organization Scott’s appreciation for the opportunity to grow as a student housing professional through COCM What Scott’s colleagues have to say about his passion to help others, leadership ability and work ethic How Scott approaches each day with the intention to be a servant leader The satisfaction Scott gets from recruiting the best employees possible and supporting COCM’s current employees—so they can best serve our residents, campus partners and owners Connect with Scott Scott on LinkedIn Scott on Twitter Connect with Alton Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Alton at COCM Alton on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

A Day in the Life of a Servant Leader – with Scott Schatzer

A strong leader stays calm in a crisis, taking whatever is thrown at them in stride and simply doing what needs to be done. And it is Jeremy Williamson’s ability to stay cool, collected and confident when problems arise that his colleagues admire most. Jeremy is the Director of Housing Operations and Facilities at University Village and The QUAD Student Housing Communities on the campus of California State University San Marcos. He served as Residence Life Coordinator at the University of Louisville and Area Coordinator at the University of Florida before taking on his current role with Capstone at CSUSM in October of 2017. Jeremy is also a recent recipient of the COCM Excel Award. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Jeremy joins guest host Alton Irwin for the second in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the opportunities for growth associated with working on a young campus like CSUSM. Alton shares what Jeremy’s colleagues have to say about his consistently calm and positive demeanor, and Jeremy explains why the Excel Award was the ‘boost he did not know he needed.’ Listen in for insight on adapting to difficult circumstances without losing your cool and learn how Jeremy’s focus on legacy informs his interactions with the people he serves! Topics Covered Jeremy’s role as Director of Housing Operations at CSUSM’s University Village and The QUAD The opportunities for growth associated with working on such a young campus How Jeremy works with four different partners in the management of his sites at CSUSM How maintaining relationships with former colleagues led Jeremy to COCM Why Jeremy describes the Excel Award as ‘the boost he did not know he needed’ What Jeremy’s colleagues have to say about his calm and positive demeanor (even in crisis situations) Jeremy’s insight on adapting to difficult circumstances without losing your cool How Jeremy’s focus on legacy informs his interactions with the people he serves How being a position to make someone’s day gives Jeremy the greatest satisfaction in his role Connect with Jeremy University Village Apartments at CSUSM The QUAD at CSUSM Jeremy on LinkedIn Connect with Alton Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Alton at COCM Alton on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Leading with Calm in a Crisis – with Jeremy Williamson

 Western University of Health Sciences takes a whole-student approach to educating future healthcare professionals. And that complements the way COCM’s Meera Ramsoondar-Cuevas serves her team and the students she works with, connecting with people through the lens of their individual experience. Meera is the Director of Housing Operations at The Daumier at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. She has been with Capstone On-Campus Management for six years, serving as Associate Director of Residence Life at City College of New York before taking on her current role in October of 2018. Meera earned the COCM Excel Award in February of 2020. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Meera joins guest host Alton Irwin for the first of a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss what it’s like to serve graduate students in the healthcare space. She describes the humanistic approach unique to the community and campus at WesternU and shares the benefit of having pet-friendly floors on her site. Listen in to understand how the Excel Award reflects the excellence of the people Meera’s worked with and find out what her students have taught her about cultivating compassion and seeing the world through a different lens. Topics Covered  Meera’s role as Director of Housing Operations at The Daumier at Western University The graduate degree programs in health sciences offered at WesternU The humanistic approach unique to the community and campus at WesternU How a student population of future health professionals navigated the COVID pandemic The benefit of having two pet-friendly floors at The Daumier Why Meera loved working 1:1 with students in her first role in residence life with COCM How Meera sees her Excel Award as a reflection of the great teachers she’s worked with What Meera has learned from her students about compassion and seeing the world through a different lens Why it’s the small interactions with students that bring Meera the most satisfaction Connect with Meera The Daumier at Western University The Daumier on Instagram Meera on LinkedIn Connect with Alton Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Alton at COCM Alton on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Connecting with the Students We Serve – with Meera Ramsoondar-Cuevas

Most of us associate summer on campus with conference programs. But summer interns need housing, too, and many campuses are capitalizing on this need. So, what does a summer internship student housing program look like? Would it work on your campus? And what are summer interns looking for in a place stay? Emily Eskridge-June is the Director of Housing and Residence Life at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. In the summer of 2016, Emily started housing interns in partnership with ABODA, a global short-term rental company that specializes in student and corporate housing, and since then, she has built a robust, independent summer internship housing program at Cornish Commons. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Emily joins guest host Erik Elordi to explain how she started offering summer internship housing at Cornish Commons. She walks us through the four strategies her team has used to increase the number of interns they house over the years, describing the relationship between good customer service and word-of-mouth recruitment. Listen in for Emily’s insight on the four things summer interns are looking for in a place to stay and learn how to build and market a summer internship housing program on YOUR campus! Topics Covered When and how Emily started offering summer internship housing at Cornish Commons The 4 things Emily’s team has done to increase the number of interns they house over the years The relationship between strong customer service and word-of-mouth recruitment How Emily’s team leverages Google Ads and a streamlined website to market directly to summer interns in Seattle The 4 things interns are looking for in a place to stay for the summer Why Emily’s team can no longer rely on big Seattle companies like Amazon and Microsoft for a large pool of interns and what they are doing to face that challenge Connect with Emily Cornish College of the Arts Seattle Intern Housing Connect with Erik Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Erik at COCM Erik on Twitter Email media@cocm.com

Summer Internship Housing – with Emily Eskridge-June

What does it look like to serve students from the facilities and operations side of student housing? What does it take to keep a residence hall complex well-maintained and running smoothly? Patrick Shanahan is the Director of Facilities and Administration at The Heights, Montclair State University’s newest residence halls complex. Patrick has worked at The Heights since it opened its doors in 2011, serving as Office Coordinator and Assistant Director of Operations before taking on his current role two years ago. Today, Patrick is responsible for the facilities, maintenance and custodial work at The Heights, where he serves 1,978 residents across eight buildings. On this episode of the podcast, Patrick joins Leigh Anne to explain how he was introduced to student housing as an undergrad desk assistant and how serving in a supervisory role in Residence Life sparked his interest in a career in higher ed. Patrick shares the challenges he faces in facilities and operations, describing what he’s learned about adapting to change and educating students who are away from home for the first time. Listen in to understand the rewards of building relationships with your team and seeing them succeed and get Patrick’s advice around connecting with others in the campus community. Topics Covered Patrick’s role in overseeing the facilities, maintenance and custodial work at The Heights How Patrick was introduced to student housing as an undergrad desk assistant How a friend encouraged Patrick to apply for a supervisory role in Residence Life and how that experience sparked his interest in student housing as a career The AHA moment walking on campus with his wife when Patrick saw a future in student housing How Patrick and his team are navigating the stresses of COVID The challenges Patrick faces in educating residents who are living away from home for the first time What makes building relationships with his staff and seeing them succeed the most rewarding part of Patrick’s job The biggest lesson Patrick has learned around adapting to change and to the needs of the students Patrick’s advice for aspiring student housing professionals on getting involved in the community Connect with Patrick Shanahan The Heights at Montclair State University Patrick on LinkedIn Connect with Leigh Anne Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Leigh Anne on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Facilities & Operations in Student Housing – with Patrick Shanahan

As you rise through the ranks of a career in student housing, you face more and more complex problems. Imagine, for example, taking on a site that has occupancy concerns, building issues AND staffing challenges. So, what do successful leaders do to avoid overwhelm and focus their energy on finding solutions? Kern Williams serves as Regional Manager and Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force at COCM. In his 15 years in student housing, Kern has worked at a variety of institutions and been an active contributor to the profession at large, giving national webinars and conference presentations on undocumented students, access to higher education, team dynamics and staff motivation. On this episode, Kern joins Leigh Anne to share his unique shift from insurance to student housing and discuss how having the right mentor influenced him to pursue a career in higher education. Kern describes both the challenge and reward of managing from a distance, offering advice on breaking down big problems and turning worry into action. Listen in for Kern’s insight on asking the right questions, serving as a mentor and a mentee, and developing the wide range of skills required to be a leader in the student housing space! Topics Covered How Kern transitioned from the insurance industry to student housing Kern’s insight on the unique range of skills you develop as a student housing professional How having a mentor who looked like him influenced Kern to make a career of student housing Realizing you’re in the right place when colleagues start coming to you for advice Kern’s ability to manage people, process and product effectively How Kern navigates the challenge of managing from a distance The opportunity for growth that comes from managing a variety of staff and locations remotely How Kern learned to overcome overwhelm by breaking down big problems Why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions (even in a leadership role) The value in finding a mentor and serving as a mentor yourself Kern’s advice for aspiring student housing professionals on turning worry into action Connect with Kern Williams Kern on LinkedIn Connect with Leigh Anne Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Leigh Anne on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Solving Complex Problems in Student Housing – with Kern Williams

How do you design a marketing plan that attracts residents to a particular student housing community? What if you’re responsible for promoting 35 different sites, each with their own unique culture and set of amenities? Brittany Pieper is the Site Marketing Coordinator for COCM, where she works with our 35-plus partner institutions and their onsite team members to ensure that each of our student housing communities is properly positioned in the market. A rockstar when it comes to marketing and leasing in the student housing world, Brittany is committed to achieving maximum demand and occupancy at each site. On this episode, Brittany joins Leigh Anne to share her journey from multifamily marketing and leasing to student housing, explaining what she learned from her first property manager and how she designs creative initiatives to attract and retain residents. Brittany discusses how having an entrepreneurial spirit has helped her develop a business mind around sales and walks us through the AHA moment that inspired her to pursue a leadership role in the marketing space. Listen in for Brittany’s insight on customizing solutions to individual sites and get her top five tips for ambitious student housing professionals. Topics Covered Brittany’s early interest and experience in marketing and sales Brittany’s journey from multifamily marketing and leasing to student housing Designing creative ways to attract and retain residents How Brittany’s first property manager trained her to do things the right way, take ownership of her mistakes and strive for her goals How an entrepreneurial spirit helped Brittany develop a business mind around sales and marketing What inspired Brittany to pursue a leadership role in marketing and leasing The challenge Brittany faces in customizing solutions to work at individual COCM sites Brittany’s top lessons learned around adapting to change and working with diverse personalities Brittany’s top five tips for aspiring student housing professionals Connect with Brittany Pieper Brittany at COCM Connect with Leigh Anne Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Leigh Anne on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Marketing & Leasing in the Student Housing World – with Brittany Pieper

Student housing professionals have faced one challenge after another in 2020. When it comes to residence life, this has not been an ideal year, as the pandemic has kept us from doing most of our traditional programming. So, how are housing directors building community in the COVID era? Katherine Warren is COCM’s Assistant Director of Residence Life Campus Housing at Illinois Central College. She earned her BA in Communications and Media Arts from Bethany College and her master’s in Student Affairs and Higher Education at Indiana State University. Katherine chose a career in student affairs because she loves working with college students as they begin to carve out their own niche. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Katherine joins Leigh Anne to discuss the recent roundtable she led with COCM housing directors across the country and share the team’s commitment to maintaining a positive attitude as we adapt to changing circumstances. She describes the challenges housing directors face in preparing for 2021 and explains what our colleagues are doing to maintain their mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing through this challenging time. Listen in for Katherine’s insight on how COCM housing directors are innovating around residence life to build community (within social distancing guidelines) and facilitate student interaction online. Topics Covered Katherine’s approach to the recent roundtable discussion she led with COCM housing directors across the country The COCM team’s commitment to maintaining a positive attitude as we adapt to changing circumstances How housing directors are building community through pop-up events and DIY programming The challenges housing directors face in preparing for 2021 (i.e.: RA interviews, room selection, etc.) How housing directors are using Discord and social media platforms to promote community and interact with students What our COCM colleagues are doing to maintain their mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing How COVID is teaching Katherine to be more intentional about making time to do the things she loves Connect with Katherine Warren Katherine on LinkedIn Connect with Leigh Anne Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Leigh Anne on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com  

Residence Life in the COVID Era – with Katherine Warren

Over the course of 2020, different industries have been impacted in a variety of ways. Today, we take a look at the topic of security – specifically the tracking of the coming and going of people within facilities. Students come and go from student housing facilities all hours of the day – so how do we keep them safe and secure during a pandemic? Charlie Regan is President of Gorrie Regan and Associates based in Birmingham, AL, a company dedicated to making sure that your property and facility is secure, your gate system is functioning, and your employee’s time is calculated accurately. When it comes to security systems, they focus on the control function of opening and closing doors and gates to properties, video solutions, as well as analytics and monitoring. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Charlie joins host Alton Irwin to talk about security issues and how they have changed during 2020and the pandemic. When COVID-19 hit, GorrieRegan was able to continue to work as an essential business as they were implementing security systems. He discusses how the industry as a whole is focusing on ramping up the touchless technologies that have been developed over the last several years and how all projects are resuming later this year are wanting to take the approach of utilizing these touchless technologies. He also shares that during times of crisis, the innovation of different technologies grows exponentially, mentioning thermal technologies that over the course of this year have become more widely used. Along with an increase in usage, they are also seeing systems with thermal technology becoming more affordable and being utilized in creative ways. Topics Covered How Gorrie Regan and Associates started out and how they have grown to where they are today. What happened to the company when COVID-19 first hit. How they have continued as an essential business. How they are reapproaching some projects with different technology because of COVID-19. What changes they are seeing in the security industry. What they are seeing in the different touchless technologies for security systems. What they can offer to folks and businesses looking to implement some of these technologies. Connect with Charlie Regan Connect with Charlie on Linkedin Learn more about Gorrie Regan at www.gorrieregan.com Email info@gorrieregan.com to get in touch with Charlie Regan Connect with Alton & Leigh Anne Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Alton on Linkedin Leigh Anne on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Emerging Touchless Security Technology Coming Out of COVID-19 - with Charlie Regan

The conference services team at the University of Washington was looking forward to serving 11,000 overnight guests and facilitating 200 overnight conference sessions this summer. But 2020 had other plans, and though the campus did not close, Christine Sismaet and her team had a very different season than expected.  Christine is the Operations Manager of Conference Services at the University of Washington. As an undergrad at UW, she served as Summer Conference Desk Host and Conference Assistant before taking on a full-time position as Conference Coordinator in 2010. Christine was promoted to her current role in 2014, and in her 14 years in conference services, she has developed an expertise in building relationships with her staff as well as the clients they serve. On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Christine joins guest host Erik Elordi to explain what Summer 2020 would have looked like for her team without the disruption of COVID-19 and describe what the UW summer conference season actually looks like running at about 10% of its usual activity. She shares how her reduced (and mostly remote) staff is adapting to Coronavirus restrictions and working to keep guests safe and comfortable on campus. Listen in for insight around how Christine’s experience can benefit institutions that closed and get her take on what conference services might look like in 2021 and beyond. Topics Covered How working in conference services as an undergrad inspired Christine’s career in the space What Summer 2020 would have looked like for Christine’s team without the disruption of COVID-19 Christine’s commitment to building positive relationships with clients and working as a team How the Summer 2020 conference season at UW was reduced to 10% of its usual activity What Christine’s team is doing to adapt to COVID restrictions and keep summer guests safe and comfortable How Christine is reorganizing duties around a reduced staff (most of whom are working remotely) What Christine is doing to keep summer conference organizers engaged and encourage them to schedule for 2021 How Christine’s experience can benefit institutions that didn’t have guests this summer Christine’s interest in helping develop the new normal for conference services moving forward Connect with Christine Sismaet Email sismaetc@uw.edu Connect with Leigh Anne & Erik Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Leigh Anne on LinkedIn Erik on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

The New Normal of Conference Services – with Christine Sismaet

Conferences and summer programs offer institutions an opportunity to generate revenue that can reduce the financial burden placed on students during the academic year. And it’s not just housing – a strong, efficient summer program brings revenue to other campus entities as well, including dining services, athletics, facilities, and even academic departments. Developing these programs to really work for your campus takes creativity, research, and planning. Erik Elordi is the Director of National Conference Services for COCM. He specializes in reviewing campuses’ summer programs and providing support, direction and management of the implementation of a tailored plan via a management partnership. His passion for approaching campus revenue with an entrepreneurial mindset drives him to help campuses solve the problem of generating revenue over the summer months. While the summer of 2020 brought a set of unique challenges, Erik is looking to summer of 2021 opportunities and currently building a small library of resources for student housing professionals to learn how to leverage the campus amenities during summer months. For universities and colleges that do not have a management agreement with COCM, our corporate team can help by taking our Fresh Eyes Consulting approach and focusing specifically on conference and summer programming. Our team provides for those interested in knowing how much more they could be making off of the summer months outcomes, reports and implementation plans to help put conference services together or help grow and build on the ones that the campus may already have in place. Why do so many campuses miss out on the opportunities that the summer months provide for revenue? For a lot of institutions, conferences are a secondary thought – which makes sense. It often falls to the student housing department, and that task often falls behind because during the academic year the student housing department is so focused on making the student experience great for the students. Then, summer becomes a scramble. By having Erik as a dedicated person, he is able to help campuses think about these opportunities all year round and leverage those summer months as much as possible. COCM encourages campuses to put in the time to prepare for the summer months so they don’t leave money on the table by not using all of their campus assets during all twelve months.     Topics Covered Erik’s background experience in housing in Oregon and Washington Why he takes an entrepreneurial approach to summer months and why that excites him Seeing summer housing as opportunity to keep rates lower for students during the regular year How his team at Cornish College of the Arts built and developed a conference program from the ground up How summer programming also helps with recruitment and a pipeline into the college into the future The story behind Erik’s entrepreneurial approach to building summer revenue Why building resources for others looking to develop similar programs is so important to Erik How COCM can take a look at your own campus housing through the Fresh Eyes Process providing recommendations on how to grow that Why a lot of campuses are missing out on these opportunities and the questions they have about the potential Why COCM takes the approach of thinking about potential summer revenue opportunities year round How any campus can connect with COCM to get their questions answered and talk about the opportunities for conferences and summer programs Connect with Erik COCM’s Conference Services Erik on Linkedin Erik on Twitter   Connect with Leigh Anne & COCM Student Housing Matters Student Housing Matters on Facebook Student Housing Matters on Twitter Capstone On-Campus Management Leigh Anne on LinkedIn Email media@cocm.com

Utilizing Conferences and Summer Programming for Income Growth and Positive Net Revenue – with Erik Elordi

Join the Conversation is a podcast from the Student Housing Matters blog. This podcast is dedicated to providing interesting interviews with leaders from the higher education community. The blog and this podcast exist to share ideas and insights about how your student housing can do things beyond simply housing students. http://studenthousingmatters.com/

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Student Housing Matters Podcast - Join the Conversation

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