Event Management students awarded Helen Brett Scholarships

Iowa State University is home to the first-ranked Event Management program in the Unites States and recently, two students from the program were awarded the 2022 Helen Brett Scholarships from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE).

Irene DeLinggo, Event Management, Undergraduate Student

Irene DeLinggo is an Iowa State student majoring in Event Management and came to Ames in August 2021 from Jakarta, Indonesia. During high school, she was given the rare opportunity to be part of various school events. One the most significant events she spearheaded was the annual school cup. Irene was able to gain skills in managing an event and encounter challenges she’s likely to face in the future.

At Iowa State, she’s the president of the Indonesian Student Association and the President of the Professional Convention Management Association Student Chapter. She’s gained hands-on experience in planing club events, promotions and external communications. Her passion for the industry comes from working toward something tangible.

Irene shares, “Through this industry, I can grasp the natural flow of my creativity and the ideas that make events a rousing success. I consider it a work of art – the art of creativity, organizing, and putting all the ideas into a masterpiece’s great reality. I am ardently passionate about this field which gives me the right reasons to aim higher and pursue my aspiration to succeed in this specialization.”

Maria Ziyi Wu, Event Management, Graduate Student

Maria is a graduate student and in her first year at Iowa State University (ISU) for the distance program of Event Management. She received her double bachelor’s degree with honor from the University of Huddersfield (HUD) and the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), and her passion for the Event Industry was rooted in her event planning experience of the campus concert in high school. During her spare time, she volunteered at locally large-scale events, including the 10th China Flower Expo and the 21st Children Baby Maternity Expo, to enhance her practical skills and techniques.

Moreover, Maria is committed to the sustainable development model of China’s event management and event higher education as academic goals. After completing the master’s degree, she plans to study as a Doctor of Philosophy in event economy and management and strive to develop innovative research paradigms.

She says, “It’s a great honor for me to be eligible for the Helen Brett scholarship, and I always believe the power of females will become a pillar in the event industry.”

The Helen Brett scholarship program was established by Mr. Robert Kolinek, CEM, CMP, and named for his grandmother, who was a pioneer in the exhibition industry. The scholarship aims to help students who are exploring the study of exhibition management with the goal of advancing their career in the field.