Appalachian State University is the first college in North Carolina to achieve One-Stop Shop Certification through the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors–International (ACCED-I).
One-Stop Shop Certification recognizes collegiate operations that streamline conference and event coordination through one contact, one contract and one bill to meeting planners. App State’s Office of Conference and Event Services was recognized with the honor this spring.
“This accreditation highlights our mission to make hosting an event on our beautiful campus as easy as possible,” said Frances Keel, App State’s director of Conference and Event Services. “By providing one point of contact for everything from catering to registration, we ensure attention to detail and high standards of excellence and efficiency are maintained.”
Conference and Event Services at App State supports approximately 70 conferences annually and generates approximately $1.4 million in gross revenue each year for the university. Over half of the office’s business is repeat customers, and many of the conference attendees are from out of the area. Frequent conference and event client organizations coming to App State include youth leadership and athletic organizations, religious organizations, government agencies, educational organizations, corporations, university departments and more.
Event spaces range in capacity from 20 people to thousands, including rooms in the Plemmons Student Union and academic buildings, auditoriums, theaters and concert halls, the Grandview Ballroom of Kidd Brewer Stadium’s north end zone facility and the Holmes Convocation Center. Services for events include sleeping accommodations, dining and catering, parking and transportation and more.
One-Stop Shop Certification is achieved through an extensive process review, including references from event planners. Qualified institutions must renew their certifications every five years to ensure adherence to industry best practices that more closely align with convention facilities and finer hotels. With this certification, App State joins over 300 accredited institutions in North America, Europe and Asia.
For more information about Conference & Event Services at App State, visit conferences.appstate.edu.
