Top five in the world: Texas A&M students shine in convention management contest
Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism team debuts in global competition
Students from the Texas A&M Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism debuted in the prestigious Professional Convention Management Association, PCMA, Global Student Competition, achieving a top-five finish.
Competing against 45 teams from around the world, the Aggie team showed exceptional creativity, teamwork and innovation, earning recognition as one of the best in the global business events industry.
The team includes Kimberly Long, senior; Taylor Nelson, second-year master’s student; and Ava Mashburn, junior, all hospitality, hotel management and tourism majors. It also includes Kaitlyn De La Garza, senior, recreation, park and tourism sciences major.
Together, they tackled the competition’s challenge to design a mock convention, addressing event concepts, marketing, stakeholder engagement and financial planning, with an emphasis on innovation and commercial viability.
The top five teams were invited to virtually present their final proposal to a judging panel with a 5-minute pitch presentation and a 5- to 10-minute Q&A session. The winning team will receive complimentary round-trip air transportation, accommodations and registration at Convening Leaders 2025 in Houston.
Fast learners, top competitors
Despite having just two weeks to prepare their proposal — a fraction of the time many competitors had — the team exceeded expectations.
“I am so proud of these students,” said Donna Lee Sullins, Ed.D., instructional assistant professor in the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism, who supported the team throughout the process. “They came together to compete because they were interested in learning about it.”
Sullins said participation wasn’t for a class or a grade but because the team wanted to be involved in the corporate events industry through the competition.
“While many of their competitors spent the entire semester on their submissions, our group only had two weeks and still rose to the top,” she said.
Sullins added that the team’s success highlights their ability to deliver a high-quality project under tight deadlines and reflects the strong support from the department.
“We learned so much, from event planning to innovation,” De La Garza said. “The support from our professors, especially Dr. Sullins, made all the difference. It’s incredible to see what we accomplished in such a short time.”
Sullins said by placing in the top five, the Texas A&M team not only showcased their talent and potential but also demonstrated the university’s growing presence in the corporate events field. She added this accomplishment sets a strong precedent for future participation in the competition and showcases the value of experiential learning opportunities provided by the department.
To learn more about event management opportunities in the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism, visit the Professional Event Management Certificate website.
