Networking With The Stars 2014!

Networking With The Stars is an annual event hosted by second-year MPI BCIT students and sponsored by the MPI BC Chapter. To plan this event, the students are divided into multiple departments, each contributing to an important component of event planning. The purpose of Networking With The Stars is to connect students to industry professionals through mingling, networking and an evening reception at Vancouver's top venue.

The event started off in the early evening inside the beautiful new building of the Vancouver Convention Centre. Students and industry professionals picked up their name tags before they are proceeded into the main foyer for a cocktail-themed reception. Alongside the reception is a silent auction table.

Left to right: Idy, Shivani, Naomi, Annie, Carly

Prior to the event, many students mentioned being nervous about approaching the industry professionals and not knowing what to talk about. To encourage networking, the gamification team designed a networking game where industry professionals held three-by-three bingo cards with a country's flag representing each tile. Students were each assigned a movie name. After interacting and mingling with a professional, the student will place a sticker onto the tile of the country where their assigned movie is filmed. Professionals with a sticker placed on each tile had the opportunity to enter their card in for a draw to win prizes.

Following the mingling and cocktail reception, the students and industry professionals enjoyed an inspirational and very heartwarming speech by Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour. Shirley's speech was incredibly insightful and everyone was ecstatics to hear her speak.

MPI BCIT would like to thank our list of sponsors:

Vancouver Convention Centre
PavCo
Metrotown
Rocky Moutaineer
Boathouse Restaurant
WaterMark Beach Resort
Westcoast Sightseeing
Starbucks
UBC Salsa Club
Grady Wine Marketing Ltd.
Vancouver Craft Beer Market
Saje Natural Wellness
Scandinave Spa
Sushi Village
WHET Bar & Grill
ZipTrek
Shoe Care
Purdy's
Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France
Native Shoes
Pinnacle Drilling Products Ltd.
BCIT School of Business
LinkBC
Bikram Yoga Metrotown
Eminence
Westin Bayshore
Lodging Ovations
Resort Reservation Whistler