Whitworth Establishes Office of University Events
February 27, 2019
In an effort to support and strengthen the hundreds of events organized and led by a myriad of campus groups, Whitworth has created the Office of University Events.
The OUE will be housed in institutional advancement. It will establish standards and processes by which university events are organized, promoted and conducted with the intent of fostering operational success, attendee satisfaction and an assurance of university standards.
Importantly, the Whitworth Office of University Events will neither function in the role of approving events nor "owning" the events organized and led across campus. Instead, the OUE will collaborate with event organizers to help ensure their events, whether for internal or external audiences, are carried out in the most successful manner possible.
In addition, the conference services department will move from student life to the OUE, where staff will continue to build on the already well-established systems and services currently in place.
Michelle Drennen has been named director of the OUE. Drennen currently supports nearly 150 events led under the auspices of institutional advancement, including the noteworthy President's Leadership Forum, Homecoming and Family Weekends, and numerous president's office events.
“I am excited to oversee the process of collaboration between departments to ensure successful campus events,” Drennen says. “I am eager to learn from my campus colleagues and to share insights from my own event planning experience.”
In establishing the office, Drennen is charged with leading a staff, organizing a representative campus committee to help shape policies and procedures, including ongoing evaluation of the office's work, and put in place systems by which campus constituencies will be trained, supported and well served.
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Michelle Drennen, director, office of university events, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4974 or mdrennen@whitworth.edu
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu
Importantly, the Whitworth Office of University Events will neither function in the role of approving events nor "owning" the events organized and led across campus. Instead, the OUE will collaborate with event organizers to help ensure their events, whether for internal or external audiences, are carried out in the most successful manner possible.
In addition, the conference services department will move from student life to the OUE, where staff will continue to build on the already well-established systems and services currently in place.
Michelle Drennen has been named director of the OUE. Drennen currently supports nearly 150 events led under the auspices of institutional advancement, including the noteworthy President's Leadership Forum, Homecoming and Family Weekends, and numerous president's office events.
“I am excited to oversee the process of collaboration between departments to ensure successful campus events,” Drennen says. “I am eager to learn from my campus colleagues and to share insights from my own event planning experience.”
In establishing the office, Drennen is charged with leading a staff, organizing a representative campus committee to help shape policies and procedures, including ongoing evaluation of the office's work, and put in place systems by which campus constituencies will be trained, supported and well served.
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Michelle Drennen, director, office of university events, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4974 or mdrennen@whitworth.edu
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu
