University Student reaches finals at the Green Gown Awards
Marketing and Events Management student reaches the finals at the Green Gown awards with a developed sustainability plan to reduce the environmental impact of future weddings and events at a well-known venue in West Sussex.
The Green Gown awards celebrates the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges worldwide. The sixteen different categories are open to any tertiary education establishment with some specific categories also aimed at student applications.
Ellie’s innovative marketing plan was proposed for the ‘Research with Impact – Student’ award which focuses on the impact of the research.
In particular judges were looking for evidence of the project’s potential to strengthen at least one of the three pillars of sustainability; environmental, social or economic as well as links to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Inspiration for the project came from her passion for sustainability and events which has been developed throughout her time studying the BA Marketing and Event Management.
She said; “I had developed my idea whilst studying the Sustainable Business & Circular Economy module in second year. With this knowledge I wanted to put a plan together to make the events industry more sustainable.”
With the support of her lecturer, Jorge Gutic, Ellie was able to adapt her sustainable wedding events research project for the application format.
“Jorge was incredibly helpful and guided me throughout the process. Juggling both the competition, my studies and two jobs had its difficulties but when I received the email that I had got through to the finals, it was completely worth it.”
Her time at university has developed as she changed degrees after her first year to include studying her passion of Marketing. “The lecturers have been really supportive of me doing a joint honours degree, they’re really good at timing assessments so I don’t have any clashes and so I can produce my best work for each module.”
While Ellie didn’t win the award, her work was highly commended by the judges who said; “We loved this project looking at ‘green’ weddings, this project showed tremendous initiative based on her observations of a specific problem. This was an impressive project.”
She’s also had further success of being offered a permanent position as an events and social media manager at the well-known Wedding venue, Farbridge, situated in the South Downs National Park.
Her sustainable wedding plan impressed the team and subsequently she’s been able to climb the ranks, from waitress to her new role, where she can now use her theory from University and put it into practice with planning clients’ events and assisting in social media marketing strategies.
BA (Hons) Marketing and Event Management is part of our Business School.
