Member Spotlight - Olivia Sylvester - Student Profile

Name & Designations: Olivia Sylvester
Position: Program Officer for the National Judicial Institute
Graduated from: Algonquin College Events Management Program

Contact Information:
Email: winnichris@hotmail.com
Linked In: Olivia Sylvester | LinkedIn 
Joined MPI in: Fall 2021

Why did you decide to join MPI Ottawa?

I wanted to expand my network and get to know people in the events industry. My professor at Algonquin College, Sandy Oulette encouraged me to join. She said that I could benefit from it, and having been a member for less than two months, I am already benefiting from being a member.

What makes you good at what you do?

I am very passionate about events, about bringing people together in celebration of something good or in learning something new. My passion drives me to be detailed oriented and organized, which I think are two qualities that make any planner a great planner.

How did you get where you are today?

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an architect. When I got older, I found interest in product design and went to Carleton University to complete my bachelor’s degree in industrial design. In my time in the industrial design program, I had the opportunity to work on exhibitions and to design shows for some of my courses. Those courses led me to pursue events, so I applied for a job in the events field, which I inevitably lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic, therefore; I decided to pivot and said to myself: what better time to expand my knowledge in events than during a pandemic when most events businesses have been shut down or are running with minimal staff? In late 2020, I decided to go back to school for Event Management at Algonquin College and I completed my graduate certificate in August 2021.

Benefits of MPI Ottawa

I have already had the opportunity to meet so many people in the field in the little time that I’ve been a member of MPI. I’ve gotten to learn a lot more about the events industry as a whole in Canada and I’ve enjoyed seeing how people are connected all over the country. By volunteering, I’ve been able to meet other people that share the same passion who love events, which has been rewarding. All of the people that I’ve met are incredibly kind and patient. I have felt very strongly that MPI has given me a wonderful opportunity to meet other professionals in my field and start building those lifelong connections.

What is an industry tool you could not live without?

There are two:

• My first one is my daily planner. I write everything, every appointment I have, down in my planner, including notes of my tasks both in my professional work, and in my personal life. It helps me to stay on track, organized and always prepared.
• My second one is Airtable. It’s an organizational tool that I learned how to use in the Algonquin College Event Management program. It is very intuitive and it allows me to easily keep track of my personal, MPI, and professional duties. It is very cleanly designed and you can customize it to suit your needs. It also has a phone and tablet app that makes it very easy to take your planning on the go!

Last Words

Joining MPI has been a great experience! Volunteering with MPI Ottawa has allowed me to share my passion with other people who have the same passion that I do, and that has been incredibly rewarding. To be able to share our work with other people in the community is exciting. I am looking most forward to continuing to grow professionally in the safe learning environment that MPI has given me.

Article compiled by: Elodie Lortal

Article Edited by: Darlene Kelly-Stewart | LinkedIn at Stonehouse Sales & Marketing Services