Who can I contact about the event management program?

Email Dr. Brianna Clark at bclark1@highpoint.edu .

Event Management Accreditation & Awards

Ranked #1 in the Southeast for event management by College Factual, and named the Best Event Management Bachelor’s Degree by the International Festivals & Events Association consecutively since 2016.

Explore Event Management

Accreditation for the B.S. in Event Management

High Point University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). That accreditation includes the Bachelor of Science in Event Management offered by the David S. Congdon School of Entrepreneurship and the event management minor.

A Degree Rooted in Business

The major sits in a school of entrepreneurship, so event design is taught alongside budgeting, sponsorship, risk and legal issues. Students learn in the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center.

Faculty Credentials

Program chair Dr. Brianna Clark is a Certified Festival and Event Executive (CFEE), the credential awarded by the International Festivals & Events Association.

University Accreditation

High Point University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and has been continuously accredited since 1951. SACSCOC has granted HPU Level V status, which authorizes a university to award doctoral degrees.

The David S. Congdon School of Entrepreneurship

The Congdon School of Entrepreneurship is home to four majors: entrepreneurship, event management, hospitality management and sales. The school reports a 99% placement rate for its graduates.

Event Management Program Ranking

College Factual ranked High Point University #1 in its 2027 Best Meeting and Event Planning Schools in the Southeast Region list, which weighs graduation rates, earnings after graduation, affordability and program focus. HPU also ranks #7 nationally.

The IFEA Pinnacle Award

The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) has named HPU’s program the Best Event Management Bachelor’s Degree, awarding it the Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Award consecutively since 2016. IFEA’s winner lists show HPU with Gold in 2024 and 2025.

PCMA Global Student Competition

In HPU’s first year entering the Professional Convention Management Association’s Global Student Competition, an HPU team took first place in December 2023 among 37 teams from North America, South America and Australia. A second HPU team finished in the Top 5, and HPU was the only school with two finalists. The winners presented their event concept at PCMA Convening Leaders 2024 in San Diego.

“This success not only highlighted the skills and talents of my team but also showcased the excellence of our program.”

Katie McAlexander, a member of the winning team

Industry Scholarships

Several HPU event management students have received scholarships from event industry associations.

Recognition for Undergraduate Research

The Council on Undergraduate Research named High Point University the recipient of its 2025 Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments, judged against CUR’s Characteristics of Excellence in Undergraduate Research.

High Point University Rankings

U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2027 ranks High Point University #1 for Most Innovative Schools and #3 for Best Undergraduate Teaching among Regional Universities in the South. HPU also ranks #1 in its category for Earnings by Major, a new U.S. News factor that measures what graduates earn four years after leaving campus.

The Princeton Review’s Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition ranks High Point University #3 for Best-Run Colleges, #3 for Best College Dorms and #3 for Most Beautiful Campus. HPU is the only university in North Carolina ranked in the top 5 for all three.

Niche’s 2027 rankings place High Point University #1 in North Carolina for Best College Campuses, Best College Dorms and Best College Food, and #8 in North Carolina for Colleges with the Best Professors.

Measured by National Association of Colleges and Employers standards, 99% of HPU’s Class of 2025 was employed or continuing their education within 180 days, 13 points above the national average.

College Factual ranks High Point University #1 in its 2027 Best Meeting and Event Planning Schools in the Southeast Region list, which weighs graduation rates, earnings after graduation, affordability and program focus. HPU also ranks #7 nationally.

The International Festivals & Events Association has named HPU’s program the Best Event Management Bachelor’s Degree, awarding it the Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Award consecutively since 2016. An HPU team also won first place in the Professional Convention Management Association’s Global Student Competition.

HPU offers a Bachelor of Science in Event Management through the David S. Congdon School of Entrepreneurship. It is an experiential degree rooted in business, creativity and innovation that prepares students to work in every sector where events are held.

Key courses include Introduction to Event Management, Event Planning and Evaluation, Events Operations, Experiential Marketing and Event Sponsorship, Principles of Event Experience Design and an Internship in Event Management. See the Event Management Curriculum & Research page for required courses.

Yes. The program’s flexible internship structure lets each student match an internship to their interests and career goals.

Event management students learn and work events in the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center on HPU’s campus.

Yes. Planning on Point, the student-led event club, gives members hands-on experience. Members volunteer at events, welcome industry professionals to campus, tour venues and attend industry conferences.

Yes. Multiple event electives are offered as study abroad options during HPU’s Maymester, and HPU’s Tuition-Free Go Global Grant supports European Maymesters.

High Point University’s SACSCOC accreditation includes the B.S. in Event Management, and HPU has been continuously accredited since 1951.

Email Dr. Brianna Clark at [email protected].