Rachel Schmit
Senior Events Coordinator
Department
Education
B.A., corporate communication, Northern Illinois University
Biography
In her current role, Schmit creates, plans, implements and executes a range of events including alumni award celebrations, commencement receptions, graduation dinners, destination welcome weekends, donor and scholarship recognition gatherings, and dedications specific to spaces inside the College of Business. She negotiates university-appropriate prices with vendors and venues and administers procurement-approved contracts with vendors and contracted services.
Schmit determines and defines each event’s purpose, identifying key stakeholders and guests. She creates, coordinates and delivers in-person or virtual event experiences including providing the timeline of event preparations, the schedule of event proceedings, the set-up, on-site management and tear-down of the event.
After earning her degree in communications from NIU, Schmit planned to go to law school but pivoted when she discovered her love for local government special districts in the field of recreation and leisure. Here, she discovered a passion for working with a government budget, personnel processes, risk management, program administration, facility management and special events. Schmit is a 2016 graduate of the Illinois Park and Recreation Association and University of Illinois Agency Level Leadership Academy. She is a 2017 graduate of the NRPA Revenue Development and Management School, which is run in partnership with North Carolina State University. Her experience includes creating an original program with an advanced educational curriculum that ran in collaboration with Batavia Public School District 101. It was adopted by both the school and park district board in 2012. Schmit’s special event skills encompass a diverse range of experience extending from intimate and individualized gatherings, such as weddings, to large public events and multi-day city festivals.
