Presenting ‘The College Girl’s Guide to Fayetteville’ at the Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism
Author: Sydney Johnson | Major: Hospitality Management | Semester: Spring 2023
This past week, I was blessed with the opportunity to attend the 49th annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Travel and Tourism for 2023. This event aims to highlight Arkansas’ travel and tourism industry, which is the second highest revenue generator in our state. My mentor originally sent me this opportunity in early January, when the conference leaders offered the opportunity for students to present their thesis proposals. My creative project, The College Girl’s Guide to Fayetteville, is wholly centered around travel and tourism. The goal of The CGC is to provide a resource for college freshman females at the University of Arkansas as they navigate the transition from high school to college, explore a new city, and enter a new stage of life. The vision is that the guide would showcase the best of what Fayetteville has to offer, attract incoming freshman to the city, and ease the shift into college for freshman females.
Located in a different city each year, this year’s conference was set in El Dorado, Arkansas. This is a city I had never traveled to prior, and when we were not engaged with seminars and networking events, I enjoyed exploring the town during my stay. My favorite part of the conference was presenting my thesis proposal to an engaged group of industry professionals, professors, and leaders in Arkansas tourism. After I presented, I received loads of positive feedback from those who had listened, which provided an incredible networking opportunity. One of the kindest comments I received was “Your thesis idea is amazing, but have you considered a career in public speaking? You have better confidence than the speakers I have witnessed at the conference!” The positive responses I received expressing the apparent need for The College Girl’s Guide boosted my confidence and provided helpful resources to utilize as I continue the project. Some of the wonderful individuals I had the chance to meet specifically from NWA were Molly Rawn and Julie Pennington with Experience Fayetteville, as well as Luke Wiggins and J.R. Shaw with Visit Rogers. By far the best encounter I had was with our very own governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders. At the end of the conference, she spoke at the closing awards ceremony, and I had the pleasure of introducing myself and snapping a quick photo with her.
Now that the project’s need has been recognized, the next step in journey of creating the guidebook is to begin scheduling times to go to the businesses included to photograph content and gather relevant information about each location. One of my main focuses is the aesthetic and branding of the book, which will increase its marketability. I have been in the process of curating a vibe I believe will effectively speak to my audience. In addition to starting the tangible creative process, I am continuing to refine the research paper behind it. I am going to lunch with one of the connections I met from Experience Fayetteville, Julie Pennington, next week to discuss the process and further develop a strategic plan. If I were to give advice to future students attending a conference to present, I would say to go ahead and apply no matter what the expected outcome is, be confident in your idea, and meet as many people as possible. This trip allowed me to develop a deeper relationship with two of my professors, Dr. Hamm and Dr. Johnston, network with experienced connections in a field I plan on pursuing postgrad, receive feedback for my honors project, and explore a hidden gem of Arkansas. I would like to sincerely thank the Honors College for providing the funding that made my attendance possible, I am so inexplicably grateful!
Sincerely,
Sydney Johnson