Memorial University - Conference and Event Services

12/06/2024

No EiXaggeration - great things come in threes at Emera Innovation Exchange (EIX)

* EiXcellent Social Impact
* EiXemplary Service
* EiXceptional Space

First, the EiXcellent social impact. Booking at EIX supports students because a portion of the revenues supports programs and activities associated with student entrepreneurship and innovation. And Memorial's Conference and Event Services (CES) is Rainbow Registered - that means nationally accredited as a 2SLGBTQI+ friendly business.

Second, the EiXemplary service. The 2nd Quarter 2024 CES client survey reported 100% of respondents being extremely satisfied (84%) or satisfied (16%) 'with the value received in the planning and delivery of your event'.

Third and last but not least because it's the main thing people think of.... EiXceptional space. EIX is a beautiful, spacious one-stop space for all event and meeting needs. Light, bright, and open, EIX offers an uplifting vibe that makes people feel good. There's room for everyone - more than 10 customizable meeting spaces for groups from 2 - 400 to suit all purposes, from one-on-one interviews to immersive splash events.

Connect with Conference and Event Services to connect at Emera Innovation Exchange! [email protected]



Rainbow Registered Memorial University - Conference and Event Services Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador

11/28/2024

Excited to be spending the day at Destination St. John's Partner Day!

We’re seeing that space at Signal Hill Campus - Memorial University has a role to play in the growing business destination market. Woot! Sustainability is a key trend, and so is authenticity!

Connect on Campus

11/27/2024

- Great events move along like ducks: everything looks effortless because of the work under the surface.

Paula Eddy-Shea is Events Liasion with Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador.

A woman in demand, she's shared between Memorial University - Conference and Event Services and the President's Office, specializing in Institutional Events. Her Memorial career began in 2009 and since then she has run events for five of the University's Presidents, worked thousands of events of all types, including hundreds of convocations. (Typically there are three convocation sessions per day for three days in Spring Convocation, and one day in fall convocation).

Paula's work in large-scale events predates her tenure at Memorial. She was on the team that celebrated the gravity-based structure tow-out to Hibernia, and went on to work with the Janeway Children's Foundation, raising millions for the child health facility. All that to say, if you're looking for information about event protocol, the most efficient ways to get things done, how to get around problems, or who to talk to about any particular event-related topic, Paula is your go-to.

At a typical event she's coordinating, you'll likely see Paula in either one of two positions. If the event is formal, such as November's Ceremony of Remembrance, you'll likely see Paula just off to the side, standing calmly, smiling, greeting, nodding and quietly responding to questions.

If it's informal, like the Annual Memorial Barbecue, you'll find her in the middle of the action, up to her elbows in tins of soft drinks (perfectly chilled because she planned out the ice and coolers), still smiling, and responding to questions like 'where are the rest of the buns' via walkie-talkie, along with figuring out how to navigate challenges with sound system in real time (it was Bluetooth interference).

If she's in the office, from one hour to the next Paula could be advising on protocol for running an event for 200 dignitaries, then running to the Dollar Store for paper bags for popcorn, and then taking a quick office survey to identify favourite hot chocolate toppings for an upcoming event.

Meanwhile she will have brought in treats, often home-made to the delight of the Signal Hill Campus Operations and Conference and Event Services crew.

That's the thing about Paula - she's herself and at ease in all situations.

Paula says her favourite thing about her job is that "no two days are the same. While there are annual events that are routine, the people are what makes the day and the event very unique. I like knowing that the event reflects the people who are there as guests or those that are being recognized. But make it personal over perfection."

When she's not working, Paula enjoys creative pursuits like baking and making, having fun with family, and home renovation projects

WATCH THIS SPACE to learn more about the amazing people who make up the Conference and Event Services team at Signal Hill Campus, Memorial University.

AND keep an eye out for Paula's informative blog about creating great events "Right On Cue", soon to be published at https://www.mun.ca/meet/

11/22/2024

WOLVES at SIGNAL HILL CAMPUS

This is an immersive event! Don't miss 'Wolves' the multi-day exhibition of nine original works by local artist Julie Lewis at Signal Hill Campus November 23, 25-27.

The exhibit features nine, 3" x 5" original works all featuring different aspects of 'lupus' - canine and other - from eyes to toes to lots of teeth.

The show opens at the Johnson Geo Centre on Saturday Nov 23 with special guest speakers and wolf and wolffish experts Sigrid Kuehnemund of Parks Canada, Dr. Alistair Bath of Memorial University, author Sophie Torro reading from her work The Wolves of Elementa, and Petty Harbour's Fishing for Success. Julie Lewis will also be leading a session on drawing wolf fur and teeth.

From Monday to Wednesday, Wolves will be on display at the Johnson Insurance Atrium, Emera Innovation Exchange at Signal Hill Campus. Julie will be available on site from 11-5 to answer any questions or chat about Wolves.

The exhibit is supported by Arts NL, Memorial University, Johnson Geo Centre and Conference and Event Services.

11/15/2024

- Take a second look! When people think about the EMERA INNOVATION EXCHANGE (EIX) they often think beautiful receptions and conferences in the big room with the big windows and the GREAT BIG view. We at Conference and Event Services get it. We love that space too.

But there's more to see! Take a look down that iconic EIX staircase, because under the Big Screen there are eight seminar rooms of three different sizes designed to meet the needs of smaller groups.

They're all equipped with a glass wall, clear whiteboards, comfortable chairs, and Plug and Play AV.

One-stop professional setting for director meetings, interviews, virtual meetings for remote workers. All you need to bring is your laptop.

Board room or classroom style set-up. Book for an hour, book for the half day, book for the day. And like all bookings at EIX, a portion of the revenue supports activities associated with student innovation and entrepreneurship.

Accessible space, Rainbow Registered, convenient Pay-Per-Use Parking and the beauty of Signal Hill - small is beautiful at EIX!

WATCH THIS SPACE to learn more about the amazing people and places who are part of the Conference & Event Services offerings at Signal Hill Campus, Memorial University.



Signal Hill Campus - Memorial University

11/08/2024

- Most people at Signal Hill Campus know Jessica Humphries. Officially she's the Admin Staff Specialist for Conference and Event Services - a role she's brilliantly multi-tasked for six years this month. Unofficially she's known as the hub of the hub of Signal Hill Campus.

She's the one who knows where all the things are, what they are supposed to do, and how to make them work. She loves the hustle and bustle and is the go-to for everything from the room bookings, to mail, to any sort of CES institutional knowledge. She was one of the first to work at the Emera Innovation Exchange when it opened.

All that makes her great at her job. But it's her warmth and smile and infectious laugh that makes her such an amazing coworker. Sometimes members of the SHC community - the Harris Centre, Genesis, Campus Enforcement and Patrol - Newfoundland Quarterly - come to Jessica for deliveries, but stay for the camaraderie - and to see her seasonal decorating displays.

But don't be fooled by all the fun! The woman has two big red buttons on her desk. One says 'easy' and the other says 'NO' and she uses them equally with confidence!

Jessica has been at Memorial all the years of her professional career. Prior to Conference and Event Services, Jessica spend 10 years in the Division of Marketing and Communications, as well as a few short-term Departmental contracts.

When she's not working on Signal Hill Campus, Jessica enjoys walking her dog Milo, biking with her partner, and chilling out in front of the TV.

WATCH THIS SPACE to learn more about the amazing people who make up the Conference and Event Services team at Signal Hill Campus, University



Signal Hill Campus - Memorial University Connect on Campus

11/07/2024

- Carved in the rock of Signal Hill, The Johnson Geo Centre is the Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador Science Centre, and is well known as an amazing destination for visitors. But not as many people know that it's a premiere space for truly unique personal and corporate events, bookable through Memorial University - Conference and Event Services team.

The Johnson Geo Centre experience is impressive, from the blue-glass walls that make up much of the outside, to its bedrock core. The GeoPark grounds are some of the loveliest in St. John's east end, and they provide beautiful space for the ideal nature break.

Inside, the two floors of Geo feature different spaces to suit a wide variety of events. If it's a corporate event you're hosting, Geo is an ideal space for small business meetings, board meetings, AGMs, or training sessions. There is even a 60+ media theatre for presentations. Businesses and organizations in the natural resources sector really enjoy being in sync with the surroundings at Geo. After the work is done, the Reception Hall is perfect for receptions and socials.

On the side of love, many happy couples have tied the knot under the skies in the great outdoors on the Geo Centre Rock Deck where there are three ways to make an entrance: come across the bridge and down the steps, up through the trail, or through the glass doors of the Reception Hall. There's also a grand entrance option inside: couples can appear from the heights in one - or both - of the great glass elevators. For the ceremony itself, the Celestial Gallery is a blank canvas, ready to become the vision of the happy couple. For dinner, dancing and celebrations, the Reception Hall is a beautiful and dramatic space, aptly named 'Under The Planets' with a magnificent recreation of the solar system overhead. The Reception Hall seats 350 for stand-up reception, or 200 for a sit-down dinner.

Red Oak is the exclusive caterer for the Johnson Geo Centre and Signal Hill Campus - Memorial University Hill Campus, with offerings from simply delicious sandwiches to gourmet meals. The Johnson Geo Centre is available for bookings throughout the year.

WATCH THIS SPACE to learn more about the amazing people and places who are part of the Conference & Event Services offerings at Signal Hill Campus, Memorial University.

11/01/2024

October 31 was a Halloween hit at Signal Hill Campus - a pumpkin walk, spooky movies, costumes and extra special treats marked the day!

All hands helped make the fun. Public Engagement at Memorial University got us off to a great start by planting pumpkin seeds in one of their sunny spaces last spring. Those pumpkins grew! Special Shout Out to Stephanie O'Keefe who took good care of them.

Those pumpkins grew so much they had to move out of SHC for a bit, but they came back and got carved at the hands of SHC residents. Jack-O-Lanterns are a tradition in North America, but SHC grad students are from all over so for some it was their first time.

The Carving Contest was part of an event put off by the Resident Coordinators - there was also popcorn and spooky movies, it all happened in the EIX Dining Room.

The creative carvings got everyone in the mood for Halloween fun, and on the 31st, the units of Signal Hill Campus - from to to to and Event Services showed up in costume. There were treats.
The Signal Hill Campus Pumpkin Walk was a delight not only for residents and staff, but also their families! Kids loved seeing the pumpkins on display all around the building and up the Rainbow Steps. On November 1 the pumpkins will go down the Hill to Bannerman Park to join the City Pumpkin Walk.

10/31/2024

We love all kinds of events at Conference and Event Services! !

10/28/2024

Save the Date for Practice and Place!

We're looking forward to working with our Signal Hill Campus - Memorial University neighbours on this Public Engagement at Memorial University Symposium.

We are excited to unveil the official Save the Date for Engage Memorial Symposium, 2025: Practice and Place!

The event will be a great chance for Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador students, faculty and staff to meet like-minded individuals, exchange ideas, learn new skills, and connect across our public engagement ecosystem.

Complete details of the event will be available in the new year, but for now, please mark May 28-29th, 2025 in your calendar. The Symposium will take place at Signal Hill Campus, with virtual options also available.

Have you got experiences or lessons related to public engagement that you'd like to share? Our call for proposals is now open, and available on our website.

https://www.mun.ca/publicengagement/engage-memorial-symposium-2025/

10/23/2024

- Today the Conference & Event Services (CES) team of University, Newfoundland and Labrador is excited to introduce Emily Lockyer - Event Coordinator Extraordinaire!

Lockyer, as she's known around the office because there are many 'Emilys' with CES, has been on the team since October 2021 (happy three years!), so she's ridden all the event waves – initially starting her position with online events, then navigating hybrid, and finally back to in person.

Emily has always loved to be in the midst of event action: she started at the age of 12 volunteering with the Youth Advisory Council in CBS, and she hasn’t looked back!

From weddings to workshops, she loves to plan all types of events. Emily really enjoys coordinating events that have multiple components and that have space for creativity with open, collaborative clients. She loved being the woman on the inside for St. John's Fashion Week events at Emera Innovation Exchange (EIX).

She can help book space for clients anywhere on Signal Hill Campus (EIX and the Johnson Geo Centre) or St. John's Campus, and support Conference Management Services anywhere they are offered.

She'll say though, that creative energy works best when it's grounded in good business and good service. She gained her organizational and project management skills with a B. Comm from Memorial and her previous work experience.

Prior to joining CES, Emily worked with Manuels River and Junior Achievement and has always been an avid volunteer. Emily recently joined the Canadian Universities & College Conference Organizers Association and is enjoying getting to know colleagues across Canada.

She loves being where the excitement is, and brings it where-ever she goes. In her leisure she enjoys helping others, taking photos, playing softball, and laughing her head off with friends.

WATCH THIS SPACE to learn more about the amazing people who make up the Conference & Event Services team at Signal Hill Campus, Memorial University.

10/17/2024

Still a few spaces left for December Seasonal Parties! Book by October 31 for a great discount.

It's almost the most wonderful time of the year! ❄️🪩🎉
Looking to host the perfect holiday event in the St. John’s area? Check out these venues for your holiday party: https://destinationstjohns.com/holidaypartyvenues/

Whether you’re planning a festive gathering with friends or a corporate celebration, these venues and exceptional catering services, will make your event unforgettable. From cozy atmospheres to elegant spaces, paired with customized menus, and signature drinks these venues are designed to fit every style and size.



Landwash Brewery
The Johnson Geo Centre
Manuels River
Majestic Theatre St. John's
Stella's Brasserie
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott St. John's Newfoundland
Memorial University - Conference and Event Services
The Inn By Mallard Cottage
St. John's Convention Centre

10/17/2024

INNOVATION EXCHANGE - The big white and glass building in the middle of Signal Hill is the Emera Innovation Exchange, also known as EIX. It's connected to but different from the Grad Student Accommodations facilities at Signal Hill Campus - Memorial University.

It's space for events, innovation, start-ups, training, development, community, business and more, as well as part of the daily walkthrough for Signal Hill Campus Grad Students, the Emera Innovation Exchange is a domain onto itself. It is as interesting in function as it is in layout.

Known to many as one of the best buildings in St. John's, EIX is at the fore of Memorial University's Signal Hill Campus. Built on the site of the Battery Hotel at 100 Signal Hill Road, EIX is a landmark visible from most areas of the City. Depending on where you are in the building, through that glass you see the Harbour, downtown, the old east end of St. John's, or the Hill.

The Emera Innovation Exchange is home to many Memorial University outreach and engagement units, including Gardiner Centre for professional development, Genesis start-up incubator, The Harris Centre - Memorial University Centre of Regional Policy and Development, Public Engagement at Memorial University, as well as Newfoundland Quarterly literary magazine, Business and Arts Newfoundland and Labrador non-profit organization, and MUNPA Memorial's Pensioners Association.

EIX is also the main office for the Memorial University - Conference and Event Services team. Most people are aware of the amazing Main Conference Hall at EIX and its incredible view. But not everyone knows that EIX is a public building, and there are spaces of various sizes for various functions throughout. Space is available for booking by business, organizations, community and individuals as well as Memorial faculty and staff.

Along with the EIX Main Conference Hall, spaces include the Johnson Insurance Atrium, the Yaffle Connect Lounge, the EIX Dining Room and Seminar Rooms that can be set up in various formats for up to 35 people, all with great AV.

When it comes to catering, Red Oak Catering Inc. Red Oak at the Rooms inc is the exclusive partner, with their full-service commercial kitchen on site.

EIX is a vital part of Signal Hill Campus, and a great resource for Newfoundland and Labrador.

WATCH THIS SPACE to learn more about the amazing organizations that are part of EIX and Signal Hill Campus.

10/11/2024

Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador Signal Hill Campus held a very special Coffee Break ☕on October 3 in the Emera Innovation Exchange Atrium. Along with coffee and conversation, we celebrated the launch of the Grad Student Research Showcase 🙌.

The masters and doctoral students who make Signal Hill Campus home - more than 80 students from more than 20 countries - do amazing work that helps build a better world for everyone. We're proud to showcase their research.

This fall Research Presentations from three grad students were installed at EIX. Burak Muhammetoglu's research to do with Electric Vehicle Charging, Ashish Joy's work on Colloids, and Jacinda Sinclair's research on Inuit Lifeways at Avertok will be displayed until January. The work of another three researchers will be showcased in January.

Students, staff and friends from SHC and other university units, including The Harris Centre - Memorial University Gardiner Centre Public Engagement at Memorial University Memorial University - Conference and Event Services MUN Internationalization Office Red Oak Catering Inc. Red Oak at the Rooms inc and the Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador enjoyed the event.

Coffee. Conversation. Research. Community. We're all about it!

☕

10/10/2024

- the Conference & Event Services Team takes pride in their work - and also joy!

When setting up for the Alumni Tribute Awards means dancing around to the musicians sound check, following the stories on the big screens, and basking in the simple pleasure of letting the shapes of the flora direct from University Botanical guide the table arrangement, the joy is natural.

Knowing the good things the recipients of the Alumni Awards have brought to our communities is the icing on the cake!

Congrats all!

10/09/2024

- Today we're excited to introduce our Director. Meet Marie-Claude Renaud, Director of Operations, Conference & Event Services, Signal Hill Campus Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador

MC, as she's affectionately known, has been with Memorial for more than a decade, starting with Grenfell Campus, Memorial University as Conference Services Manager in 2012. She accepted the leadership role at Signal Hill Campus in December of 2023. Before then she planned academic conferences for Toronto Rehab , worked for Quebec circus Cirque EOS, and spent several years teaching and travelling in Asia.

She's great at bringing people together - she's a Certified Meeting Professional and Project Management Professional, and a recent past-President of Connect on Campus. A Newfoundland outdoors enthusiast, she loves working from Signal Hill and takes time to hike, bike, and enjoy all the gifts that life offers.

10/07/2024

MEET AT MEMORIAL - Memorial University Conference and Event Services team works from the Emera Innovation Exchange (EIX) at Signal Hill Campus (SHC), but we offer all kinds of event space from all over Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador

At we'll set you up at EIX in whole or part of the Main Conference Hall with the incredible view of St. John's, on the stairs at the Johnson Insurance Atrium, or one of the dozen smaller meeting spaces, live and online.

For truly unique space, let us tell you about the The Johnson Geo Centre - there's small and large meeting and reception space with spectacular decor, and the outdoor rock deck. On Memorial's St John's Campus (SHC) we can set you up in the Bruneau Theatre, the Whale Atrium, or any of the other amazing spaces, from classrooms to outdoor fields.

From the smallest of meetings, to conferences for hundreds, contact us for all the ways to Meet at Memorial. And even if you're meeting elsewhere, we offer event planning services to help you ensure your conferences and events meet the mark.

10/02/2024

RAINBOW MOMENT on Signal Hill Campus! Here's to light and hope the wind and rain of October.

Also great reminder that is !

Shout-out to Director Marie-Claude Renaud for taking the shot from her office window.