Michelle (My) Do
May 26, 2020
Michelle (My) Do (2020)
Michelle Do (My Do) is a detail-oriented and sophisticated event planner with strong leadership skills. She was the Viet Film Fest 2019 Associate Director and has over six years of experience in the events industry. She values the time she has with her clients throughout the planning process as this allows her to fully understand their needs and bring their vision to life in a custom and unique way. By doing so, Michelle has developed exceptional customer service and management skills. On her days off, you will find Michelle on the beach with her husky, Koda.
What year did you graduate and what was your concentration?
I graduated in 2014 with a concentration in Public Communication. I also minored in Psychology.
What extra-/co-curricular activities did you do?
I got involved with the Innovative Programming Team of the Center for Student Involvement during my last two years at Truman. My team planned campus events year-round such as Fireside Fridays, Mardi Gras, Gingerbread House Making Contest, Activities Fair, etc. I also coordinated the two biggest international events on campus, International Idol and International Dinner in 2013-2014.
Michelle (right) and friends setting up for a CSI event (2013).
Did you go to grad school? If so, where? Was it immediately after you left Truman or did you wait? Why?
I haven’t gone to grad school, but I plan to pursue a Master’s degree in Hospitality Management.
What was your first job after graduation?
Event Assistant for an entertainment venue in downtown Los Angeles, CA.
What work do you do/What are you doing now?
I’m an event planner. I’ve been planning and coordinating a variety of events for the last 6 years, from social gatherings to corporate functions and film festivals. I recently served as the Associate Director of Viet Film Fest, an international Vietnamese film festival in Southern California. Now, I’m working at Santa Anita Park, a racetrack in Arcadia, CA that offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the U.S., as well as spectacular venues for weddings and events of any size.
Michelle (center) and her event team at the Viet Film Fest (2019).
How has your Liberal Arts/COMM education helped you?
Liberal Arts education helped me develop strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills, such as communication and problem-solving skills, and then apply those skills in a professional setting. The classes I took, ranging from public speaking and creative food writing to sociology and applied social psychology strengthened my critical thinking and writing skills and made me knowledgeable on a variety of subjects. The COMM major, in specific, prepared me with excellent skills in speaking, writing, and communicating effectively with other people in different settings. The graphic design class that I took with Professor Krause came in handy with some of my projects when I had to create event marketing materials.
Which class did you dislike at the time you took it, but now you’re grateful you took it?
I must say Communication Theory. There were so many theories and it seemed overwhelmed for many of us back then, but I’m grateful that I’ve been able to utilize my knowledge in the challenging environment of the event planning industry.
What was your greatest accomplishment at Truman?
I was lucky to know what I was truly interested in – event management. Everything became so clear as I got more involved in event planning and extra-curricular activities at Truman. My greatest accomplishment, I believe, was that I had gained so much knowledge and experience that gave me a strong foundation for my professional career.
Why is Truman a good place for a student to study?
Truman offers an excellent education for an affordable price. The class size is small, which allows students to interact more with each other and with their professors. Truman professors are knowledgable and so helpful! I took a few classes with Professor Priscilla Riggle (English) and Professor Don Krause (Communication) and they were happy to help every time I had a question. Very patient!
Michelle heading to the Rec after a Kirksville snow (2012).
What would you say a COMM student should absolutely do while at Truman?
Do as many extra-curricular activities and internships as you could! You never know what you really want to do until you do it so participate in different activities, clubs, organizations to learn about yourself as well as others. You would be surprised by the knowledge and skills that you may learn from other people as well as the connections you can make.
What advice would you give someone who wants to go into the same line of work as you?
I recommend that students include the following courses in their program: accounting, computer, advertising, marketing, graphic design, applied social psychology, and communication. These courses will give them basic skills for the job. With the rapid growth of the event industry, you have to push yourself to always be learning to stay up to date with new technology and innovations. You need to be tech-savvy.
Along with classes, hands-on experience is critical to landing a job as an event/meeting planner. Employers may ask for a minimum of one year experience if you have a non-hospitality degree. Therefore, I would also recommend students to start helping with events around campus, seek opportunities to work with professional staff, volunteer for non-profit organizations in the area to get as much experience as possible.
Networking is also important. Connecting with the right person/group may land you a job opportunity.
Michelle (right) at the VIMO Awards (2019).
What do you miss most about campus/Kirksville?
I miss the cozy atmosphere of Truman campus, BBQ parties, and walking distance to downtown. Everything is so spread out in Los Angeles and the traffic is terrible!
What tag line would you create for the COMM department at Truman?
“Connect, educate, and enrich.”
If you could come back to Truman and teach a class for a semester, what would be its title and what would it be about?
I’d love to teach an Event Management class. The class would give students a general idea of the event planning industry as well as the event planner job, different types of events, the skills they would need to succeed, and the different paths they could take after they graduate.
What did we not ask that you think is important for people to know?
I think students should know that a liberal arts degree will provide them with the soft skills that most employers want. During the last few years, many companies and organizations have started to notice that their employees are lacking soft skills. You may be the top student in class with a high GPA, or you may have an impressive resume, but you may not know how to collaborate with other team members or how to be a team player.
It is said that “if you want to go fast, go alone – if you want to go far, go together.” I believe that if we try to improve and advance our soft skills such as interpersonal and organizational skills, time management, and communication skills, we would thrive in any environment.
Michelle (left) and friends celebrating the Moon Festival at Truman (2011).
If you would like to learn more of Michelle’s story, you can follow her on LinkedIn.