Attendees at Visit California Outlook Forum 2025 at JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE were greeted by enthusiastic faces from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The hospitality students were part of a larger partnership with the university that embodies Cal Poly’s “learn by doing” ethos.
To find out what the university is teaching future meetings and event professionals and what they gleaned from the two days of sessions and networking, we asked Ryan Becker, senior vice president of communications and strategy with Visit California.
Beyond Parks & Rec
“These students are preparing to be managers of people, projects and the design thinking that goes along with that,” said Becker, who is a Cal Poly alum and on their advisory board. “That is where the power is.”
The program is actually called Experience Industry Management and it goes much deeper than traditional Parks & Recreation programs, according to Becker. The stated core values include “life balance, sustainability, service, leadership and innovation, curiosity and creativity, diversity and inclusivity, community and collaboration, and professionalism and integrity.” Those values are encapsulated in the vision statement: “Live, protect, explore.”
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Becker is proud of how the program partners with the meetings and events industry to include students in Outlook Forum, IMEX and other travel industry gatherings to see first-hand the types of career paths possible.
In addition to staffing the registration desk and delivering a warm first impression, students worked with Cvent software, managed lines, acted as human arrows doing wayfinding, worked in the green room with speakers and scanned badges.
They are already being schooled in innovations such as eye tracking, sentiment measurement and event AI in labs at school.
They were also encouraged to attend sessions, network and take it all in. The conference emphasized the power of California tourism as an economic, social and cultural force for good.
“I was impressed by their confidence and thirst for knowledge,” said Becker.
He also learned a thing or two from a student social media manager while at a session.
“They proved they are learning to see the whole forest,” Becker concluded. “It is more than a lesson in how to do a task; it is learning how to think,” he said. “They are learning what questions to ask.”
Student Perspective
Don’t just take Becker’s word for it that the partnership was a win-win. We asked, “What will you take away from your Outlook Forum experience?” and the students were enthusiastic.
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Brisa Bergfeld, a third-year major in Tourism and Destination Management, said: “The thing that I will take away from this conference is the confidence I now have in this industry. I am so glad I got to learn about so many different businesses, trends and data from the many panels. It truly opened my eyes past what we learn in school. It was also comforting knowing how business owners view us students as the future and want to help us succeed. Overall, this conference was unforgettable and will hold a special place in my memory bank to share with many people.”
Lizzy Phillipps, a fourth-year major in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration, elaborated: “It was an incredible experience, and I’m truly grateful for the chance to see the behind-the-scenes efforts firsthand. Being part of such a well-executed event not only deepened my passion for the industry, but also gave me a meaningful ‘learn-by-doing’ opportunity that I will always value.”
Acira Mehta, a fourth-year Experience Industry Management major with a concentration in Hospitality and Tourism and a minor in Food Science, said: “One of my biggest takeaways was gaining first-hand insight into the latest trends shaping the travel and tourism industry, while networking with professionals who are passionate about enhancing visitor experiences. The conference reinforced the importance of sustainable tourism and innovative marketing strategies, which I hope to integrate into my future career in event planning and hospitality.”
Zachary Eagle, a third-year Experience Industry Management major, concluded: “Visit California’s Outlook Forum is a gateway for networking possibilities for everyone in the industry.”
