Planners attending MPI’s World Education Congress at the America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis last week likely got their fill of ideas, strategies and motivation from the conference’s 200+ sessions and keynotes—enough, maybe, to last until next year’s WEC.
They also got their fill of such city musts as T-ravs—that is, toasted ravioli, the mere mention of which makes local hungry—the famous St. Louis Arch, which can be seen from multiple vantage points around town; and the Cards, the city’s beloved St. Louis Cardinals, who play home games at Busch Stadium, where the opening night festivities were held.
After that night of live music, peanuts and Cracker Jack, popcorn and St. Louis-style hot dogs and meatballs, the program began in earnest the next day, as 1,900 in-person attendees participated in 113 educational sessions and listened to 165 speakers and facilitators, earning up to 13 CE hours in the process. Another 300 planners participated virtually.
Themed around the idea of a “Rally,” WEC got attendees going with the Freestyle+ Hop-Hop Comedy Group; while entrepreneur Daniel Lewis shared insights on building authentic connections and using collaboration as a force for positive change; while activist, educator and author Brittany Packnett Cunningham discussed building a culture of belonging and tackling inequity.
Neurodiversity Spotlighted
WEC St. Louis also recognized the neurodivergent, inviting scientist, author and inventor Temple Grandin to speak on the topic “Great Minds Are Not All the Same.” Grandin, who is autistic, explained how she—an “object visualizer”—excels at understanding mechanical devices and artistic design but struggles with math, noting that people had “different thinking styles” that weren’t always acknowledged in traditional school settings.
The 2010 HBO movie, Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes in the title role, vividly depicted how hands-on work experiences like cleaning horse stalls led to Grandin’s inventions, which revolutionized practices for the humane handling of livestock on cattle ranches.
What concerns Grandin now is that many schools have eliminated classes that teach practical skills such as sewing or auto repair and that “kids are growing up without ever having used tools.” As a result, those inclined toward mechanical skills rather than traditional academics are not getting the chance to realize their potential.
“You have to have exposure to all these things to know what you’re good at,” she said. “I sat next to a woman who had failed algebra in school, but in the Navy, she aced the mechanical aptitude test.”
Town Hall Takeaways
A media Town Hall looked at key updates on MPI’s business performance and strategic direction, with speakers including:
- Paul Van Deventer, President & CEO, MPI
- Rachel Benedick, Chief Revenue Officer, MPI
- Rob Adams, President & Owner, Bishop-McCann, and Chair, MPI International Board of Directors
- Rebecca DeLuca, Vice President of Destination Sales, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and Chair, Global Board of Trustees, MPI Foundation
Van Deventer stressed MPI’s commitment to inclusion and industry leadership as well as community engagement, reeling off some impressive numbers about the organization: 40,000+ chapter events annually, 14,000+ Academy classes and 3,000+ signature events.
“We look at MPI from a community perspective… and the newer generations are looking for community,” he said, citing strong social media engagement numbers as well as growth in MPI chapters.
“Latin America is our fastest-growing segment,” he said. “We have over 6,000 members in our LATAM region.”
Key statements from the Town Hall also included:
- “Diversity inclusion has been the heart of MPI since 1972.”—Rob Adams
- “We managed to jam all these great events into two days; it was a herculean effort.”—Rachel Benedick
- “Wyndham is partnering with MPI in a new membership scholarship and Visit Denver is partnering with MPI as well.”—Rebecca DeLuca
You May Also Be Interested In…
What Can Event Pros do about Anti-LGBTQ+ Directives?
MPI Latin America is “Breaking It”
Planners Celebrated on Global Meetings Industry Day
