MPI announces internship prize for Vanessa Cotton Scholarship Award 2021

MPI UK&I are delighted to announce the launch of the 10th MPI Vanessa Cotton Scholarship Award, created in honour of the UK event industry veteran Vanessa Cotton.  

The scholarship was created to recognise the industry’s brightest and most ambitious students graduating from event management degrees and supporting their first step into the meetings and events sector.

This year we have the opportunity to award two scholarships.  Each winner will receive a four-month, paid internship with Mash Media based in Kingston, Surrey.  Winners will have the opportunity to work on a number of Mash Media events, including; ‘The Event Production Show’, ‘International Confex’, ‘The PA Show’ and the launch of ‘The Publishing Show’ at ExCel.  There is the opportunity to work on site at all the shows.  

In addition, winners will take up a position actively supporting the programme of activity driven by the MPI UK & Ireland Communications Committee.

Applications will be shortlisted by an MPI judging panel; the shortlist will then be presented to representatives from Mash Media who will select the winners. The judging panel are: Susan Arslan – MPI UK & Ireland President, Dan Noyce - MPI UK & Ireland President Elect, Rose Griffiths – MPI UK & Ireland Director of Young Leaders and Ruth Robinson – MPI UK & Ireland Secretariat.

Susan Arslan, President of MPI UK and Ireland Chapter, said: “MPI UK & Ireland are delighted to build upon the success of last year’s scholarship awards, and to be in a position to run this opportunity again especially at a time when our industry is beginning to show signs of recovery and there is a growing confidence in live events.  Vanessa Cotton did a huge amount for our industry, so it is fitting that this internship scheme is in her name. We’re proud to be working with Mash Media again to offer two events students a great opportunity and an exciting start to their career.”

Liz Agostini of Mash Media said ‘We are delighted to be involved with the Vanessa Cotton Scholarship, we’ve been committed to providing opportunities for new talent within the events industry for a number of years and many of our interns have returned to the business on completion of their studies to adopt key positions within marketing, operations, design, editorial and sales, in some cases rising over a number of years to senior managerial roles. We’re excited about welcoming the scholars, the experience we can offer them and the ideas that they can bring’.

Students on event management and related courses at universities across the country are invited to apply through the online portal:  https://forms.gle/vJQEAciF4bAgGqNLA 

The deadline for entries is Friday 26th November 2021. Shortlisting will take place week commencing 29th November 2021 with telephone interviews conducted week commencing 6th December 2021.