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Summer 2014 Newsletter Extended: Auction Recap

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A RECORD-BREAKING AUCTION & DINNER

THE 2014 "AROUND THE WORLD WITH RPTA" THEMED FUNDRAISER RAISED NEEDED FUNDS FOR STUDENT AND FACULTY DEVELOPMENT

By Ari Kamp (RPTA '15), Staff Writer

Auction themeThe highly anticipated "Around the World with RPTA" travel-themed auction and dinner was held last February as the RPTA department's annual fundraiser. With the amount of work that goes into every auction (especially this one), it is incredibly important for our department to be able to pause, reflect, and honor those that collaborated to make it happen. The 2014 RPTA auction was one-of-a-kind with its unique collection of ideas, people and experiences.Auction planning team poses

Those that have been part of or attended one of RPTA's annual auctions in the past know that the standard is very high. This year's auction and dinner was particularly unique in that it was almost completely student-directed. While previous auction and dinners have been mostly student-run, a faculty member was ultimately in charge. RPTA graduate student Megan Hobbs served as CEO of the event, and this was the first year that the committee was entirely student-based, which participants say was a completely new experience and a very successful transition. With only a handful of individuals with past experience on the planning committee, there was a blank canvas for this year's committee.

Kaylee Daniels (RPTA '14), the auction's co-chair, explained that the committee embraced this by channeling their creative spirit and having open expectations. The result was a year of many firsts for the RPTA annual auction dinner, which had a profound effect on all those that are affiliated with the RPTA department.

Around the World with RPTA was a cooperative effort that utilized the strengths of students, faculty, alumni, and members of the San Luis Obispo community. These individuals worked for over six months lending their expertise and interest in event planning, catering, marketing, hospitality, fundraising, sponsorship, leadership and social media to create a successful and enjoyable event.

Committee member Kristi Union (RPTA '15), who was in charge of marketing and promotion, noted that this event inspired a great deal of creative freedom. The team was presented with the challenge to create a new event from the ground up within a confined budget, while also implementing the industry's latest trends. Union explained that this presented a rare opportunity for students looking to gain experience in the events industry. Those that contributed were provided with creative freedom to develop a unique event while also experiencing structure and leadership from those who had more knowledge and experience. While Hobbs was new to RPTA, her experience in working with Cal Poly's university advancement team helped immensely. Also, Administrative Coordinator Michele Reynolds and Department Head Bill Hendricks served as mentors and were always ready to lend a helping hand or offer a word of advice.

Collage saying thank you to friends of RPTAThe event staff says that RPTA's Learn by Doing philosophy was a primary factor in the success of this year's auction. Students were encouraged to use skills they have developed through RPTA classes and directly apply them to this event. Union says that for her, the event allowed her to hone her skills using Microsoft Illustrator, Photoshop, and In Design while also working closely with faculty and building important relationships among the community. This year's committee worked with local companies such as Zest It Up, Firestone Brewery and Popolo Catering to create a successful event that represented local businesses within the San Luis Obispo community. Daniels mentioned, "As a student, often the only time you are reaching out to businesses is for a potential job, but in these particular circumstances you are making strong connections within the community for a positive cause." The committee also noted that they were impressed by the RPTA reputation among the community and how willing local people and businesses were to contribute.   

Around the World with RPTA set a 12-year record by grossing more than $30,000 in revenue at the sold-out event (175 attendees). The committee procured 37 items for the silent auction and 14 items for the event's live auction. Ticketed items ranged from a weeklong stay in a Costa Rican villa to a trip to San Francisco where winners get to stay and attend a Giants baseball game with fan memorabilia courtesy of the San Francisco Giants.  

Overall, the 2014 auction and dinner fundraiser was a huge success and will directly impact the students, faculty, and staff of the RPTA department. Money raised from the event will go to funding the RPTA Academic Quiz Bowl team, funding students to attend annual conferences, recruiting prospective students, maintaining software and hardware, supporting faculty members with travel presentations and meetings, recruiting RPTA faculty, and positively promoting the RPTA department for future endeavors.

Daniels says that it was a rewarding experience to have the opportunity to serve and give back to the department that has given her so much throughout her time at Cal Poly. Daniels graduated with honors and credits the auction for providing her with a sense of leadership that has lead her to earn internships with the Live Oak Music Festival as well as the Presidio in San Francisco. Daniels says that the success of this event is a testament to how hard-working RPTA students truly are and what they are capable of achieving. All of the RPTA students that contributed and attended the event are going on to accomplish big things, and this auction was the foundation for many of those students. Daniels and her fellow committee members believe that they have helped shape this into a group that people want to be a part of in the future. Their hope is that this RPTA event will continue to grow, with increasing numbers of students, alumni, and families getting involved and attending annually.

The 2014 auction and dinner committe consisted of the following RPTA students:

Megan Hobbs - Director
Kaylee Daniels - Co-Chair
Ellis Beardsley - Co-Chair
Megan Hanley - Food & Beverage
Lizzie Sapiro - Volunteers
Kristi Union - Marketing/Promotion
Megan Story - Auction
Laura Penner - Auction
Gaby LaBorde - Registration
Kat Devine - Sponsorship
Charlotte Warren - Sponsorship

The committee has already built upon their successes and established a new committee with a handful of returning members for next year's event. The committee is taking what they learned throughout the process and making changes to create another impressive event next year.

The date is already set for February 28, 2015, at the beautiful Santa Margarita Ranch. Save the date, as we hope to see you all there next year!  

Thank you to everyone who contributed and those who came out to enjoy the night!

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