Retreats at the Beach: Come for the Business, Stay for the Beach

Retreats at the Beach: Come for the Business, Stay for the Beach

by | May 15, 2018 | Beach Retreats

Retreats at the Beach: Come for the Business, Stay for the Beach

After what seemed like an eternity, the winter of 2018 appears to be at an end and the spring weather looks to finally be here to stay.  With the suns and guns (biceps that is) at long last coming out for good, it is difficult for anyone in this area to not think about the Delaware beaches, in all of their splendor.  And, in case you were wondering, it just so happens that University of Delaware’s Conference Services has a wonderful venue downstate that can scratch all of your shore related itches.
Our Virden Retreat Center is located on the University of Delaware’s coastal campus in Lewes, Delaware.  This venue is fantastic for social events, retreats, weddings, and small meetings, all while offering relaxed and isolated meeting and event spaces with an open oceanside style and layout.  There, you will find six meeting rooms, a tented patio, video conferencing, full registration and planning services, and catering that just about covers any scenario.  We also offer newly renovated lodging for overnight events or for those who want to stay and enjoy the surrounding locale. And what a historic and beautiful location it is.

 

Rich history

Lewes was initially founded as a whaling and trading settlement by Dutch explorers in 1631 and holds the distinction of being the first European settlement founded in Delaware, which is proudly expressed in the town’s motto, “The First Town In The First State”.  The town has gone through a lot of change since then and has gathered a rich colonial history that can still be seen today. Lewes is home to a lively community with its main streets and surrounding suburbs littered with shops, restaurants, parks and historical venues, such as the Zwaanendael Museum.  Named after the settlements original title, the museum was created to honor the 300th anniversary with exhibits showing the history of Sussex County and its people over the centuries.

 

Protected lands

In addition to the rich history of Lewes, the beautiful Cape Henlopen State Park rests in the backyard of the Virden Center.  Cape Henlopen is home to some of Delaware’s best beaches, with no shortage of outdoor activities and soft sand to relax in. The park and the university campus are also connected to some of the region’s most beautiful wetlands.  The Great Marsh Preserve is an expansive and tranquil plot of protected wetlands with vibrant wildlife that can add an opportunity for amazing bird-watching, canoeing or kayaking to any trip to the area.

 

All and all, the Virden Retreat Center has so much to offer from an event standpoint, but when paired with the sights of the surrounding area, it becomes a must visit for anyone looking to have some fun with their next warm weather event.

Holding Events in Non-Traditional Venues

Holding Events in Non-Traditional Venues

by | Jan 4, 2018 | Conferencing on Campus, Meeting Trends

Holding Events in Non-Traditional Venues

For decades, the hotel ballroom and convention center have been the stalwarts of traditional event venues, but as time goes on and the professional culture continues to change, these locations are beginning to look like DVDs in a Blu-ray world.

Even though traditional venues are still a popular choice for events, the demand for a non-traditional, unique experience is starting to become more attractive in the business/professional landscape.  Factors such as a shift in the traditional business paradigms, and services like Uber and Airbnb, have broadened the possibilities and the expectations for what a conference or an event can be.  Fortunately, University of Delaware’s Conference Services has been ahead of this curve for quite some time now.  We have the ability to offer many different experiences through our two campuses stretched out across the beautiful state of Delaware.

 

It has been proven that when people are in a pleasant, non-traditional space, they are more likely to feel more upbeat about the event, which results in more vigorous networking.

 

Even though we can easily accommodate traditional events, you can enhance your attendees’ experiences by taking advantage of our non-traditional venues and locations. Our Lewes venue is supplemented by direct proximity to the Delaware beaches.  It has been proven that when people are in a pleasant, non-traditional space, they are more likely to feel more upbeat about the event, which results in more vigorous networking.  The only problem you may encounter is your attendees having too much of a pleasant time wandering around the open lawns or taking too much time staring at the University’s state-of-the-art wind turbine. Trust us, it’s way cooler than it sounds!

 

On the Newark campus, Clayton Hall has large open spaces, two auditoriums, and additional ancillary rooms that can be used for smaller events or as breakout rooms for larger events and conferences.  Being located on the University of Delaware campus also allows for the use of historic academic venues for events.  When the weather is nice you can spread your event out and have your attendees take a stroll through our lovely Green.  And after a long day of meetings, our venues are located close to plenty of great bars and restaurants.  As mentioned above, finding transportation and lodging has become easier than it’s ever been, so whether it is Main Street Newark, downtown Wilmington, or any of the Delaware beach towns, anyone attending your event can look forward to a spectacular social experience afterward.

 

If you are looking for a non-traditional venue to have your next event, take advantage of our experience, and unique locations, to throw an unforgettable meeting or event.

How To Effectively Integrate Social Media Into Your Events

How To Effectively Integrate Social Media Into Your Events

by | Dec 21, 2017 | Meeting Trends

How To Effectively Integrate Social Media Into Your Events

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past decade, you know that social media is kind of a big deal these days.  This technological phenomenon has revolutionized the way people interact with each other across the globe and, if done properly, it can revolutionize interactions at one of your events as well.

When hosting or operating an event, you want your attendees to be as engaged as possible and social media can add a supplemental level of engagement.  To start, one of the main tenants of social media is to stimulate conversation in an online environment in different ways, depending on the platform you are using.  Popular examples are Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.  This is done thru a number of devices such as comments, hashtags, the “at” sign, retweets, pins, etc.  There are some differences in the “languages” of the specific platforms, however, there is enough overlap that it is quite easy to transition between them.  With a basic understanding of how it all works, you’ll just need a mobile device or computer to effectively add an extra level to your event. We, at the University of Delaware, take pride in our comprehensive understanding of social media. So, we have a few easy suggestions to help get started.

 

Make it engaging

First of all, if you want to have an engaging social media presence at an event you need to ensure that there are one or more of your people monitoring all of the platforms you are using for the duration of the event.  This ensures that any questions or concerns that may pop up on your pages can be answered or addressed quickly and effectively.

 

Something as simple as a “like” or “retweet”, or even a neutral comment on one of your pages, can go a long way in showing whoever is trying to engage with you that they are being heard.

 

Use a Hashtag

Another suggestion is to create a hashtag for your event.  A hashtag (#) is a device allowing users to apply user-generated tagging that makes it possible for others to easily find messages with a specific theme or content. Hashtags are used primarily through Twitter.  By using one for your event, you can create a conversation between people at your event and even people who are not. This can create networking opportunities or help someone gain more knowledge about the specifics of your event, or even of your organization.  Other options are video content, whether it be live streaming or not, picture content through Facebook and Instagram, or social media exclusive raffles.  There are almost endless possibilities to find new and creative things to do with it.

 

Why not try a few of our these suggestions?  The process will only get easier with time and, hopefully, we will be exchanging hashtags during your next event with us.

‘Tis The Season (Sort Of)

‘Tis The Season (Sort Of)

by | Oct 25, 2017 | Special Events & Celebrations

‘Tis The Season (Sort Of)

‘Tis the beginning of autumn and as we all collectively enjoy the change in weather and our pumpkin spices, it is time for the more savvy event planners out there to start thinking ahead.

The holiday season is quickly approaching and it is time to reward your employees for all of their hard work this past year by throwing a company holiday extravaganza!  Luckily, here at the University of Delaware Conference Services, we have a great selection of locations and access to a wide variety of services that can really help you put together a super office holiday party.  Now, if you are thinking it’s a little early to be planning your holiday party, just remember, Target puts out their Christmas merchandise the day after Halloween so… here are some suggestions.

 

Lewes Venue

If you are down south, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered in Lewes with our Virden Retreat Center.  In this small, semi-secluded space down by the beach, we have a lovely venue that is perfect for a holiday retreat.  When at the beach, one suggestion that is always good (if not a little obvious) is a holiday luau event.  Chase away the cold and bring back the distant memories of summer by saying aloha to brightly colored shirts, straw skirts, tiki drinks, and coconut bikini tops that are worn above a shirt (because this is still a work function after all).  If it isn’t too cold, we can bring out the space heaters and you can have a winter barbeque outside.  In addition, we provide overnight accommodations onsite in case you want to have a good time and not have to worry about anyone having to travel very far.  Hopefully, if it gets a little rowdy Steve from HR won’t have too much paperwork to do when he gets back from his vacation.

 

Newark Venue

Clayton Hall in Newark, Delaware is our jack-of-all-trades location. We have so many different and versatile spaces for large or small gatherings that can be catered and decorated to your heart’s content.  You could have something as simple as an ugly sweater cocktail party or something as big as a holiday casino event.  One of our personal favorites is a party with a gift exchange.  Whether you call it white elephant, dirty Santa, Yankee swap, or whatever, this version of secret Santa never fails to entertain.  Some monster, usually Steve from HR, always brings a dud gift and it is never not funny to see the look on the face of whichever co-worker ends up taking it home with them.  Work relationships are forged, broken, and forged anew through the wackiness of this gift swap game. Add in some ugly sweaters and eggnog, and you’ve got yourself a pretty solid holiday gathering.

 

We hope you enjoy our suggestions for your corporate holiday party this year. We dare you to come up with a better one!  We provide many of the themed services and, if we do not, we know a lot of other people who do.  We love the holiday season and hope we can help make your events as wonderful and festive as possible.

How to Mix Up Your Meetings and (Maybe) Make Them More Productive

How to Mix Up Your Meetings and (Maybe) Make Them More Productive

by | Aug 29, 2017 | Meeting Trends

How to Mix Up Your Meetings and (Maybe) Make Them More Productive

Let’s face it, meetings can be a bit droll and tend to meander on occasion, which can then result in negative productivity. In our 20 years of experience, we’ve seen plenty of glazed-over eyes. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. We have three ideas that can dynamically (and we mean it!) reinvigorate your workplace congregations.  The following trends are science-based and have proven to help combat boredom, improve focus and leave your attendees with something to remember.

The Power Pose

Now, if in your imagination, you envision a group of adults physically getting up out of their chairs and assuming a positive posture, in the middle of a meeting after reading the words “power pose”, you wouldn’t be far off.  The concept is that holding your body in a positive “power” posture for short periods of time can give you a nice little jolt of good vibes, a sense of well being and reduced stress.  If you are still a little skeptical, this idea is presented in a TED talk, which means that people much smarter than us believe in the potential of the pose.  The research discussed in the talk suggests that in as little as two minutes, you can alter your body’s chemistry enough to receive some serious benefits. This is great for both the presenter AND  the presentees of your meetings.  Some examples of a power pose are the “Super Hero” (assume a wide stance with hands on hips and chin up), the “Sun Pose” (assume a wide stance with arms spread above the head and chin up), and the “Business Pose” (legs on the table leaning back in a chair with hands behind the head).  Pose at the beginning of the presentation, take a break and pose in the middle, or heck, even take a pose at the end, whichever way is guaranteed to relieve stress and inject some positive energy and confidence into the proceedings.  The fact that you’ll be doing it with your peers and bosses adds a level of humor that can only add more levity to the assembly.  So, during your next boardroom gathering, take some time to find your inner Supermen and Wonderwomen and then go over those spreadsheets!

 

The Primal Scream

If you like the concept of power posing, the idea that you will like this next suggestion is not too much of a stretch.  The concept of the primal scream is part of a pretty heavy trauma-based psychotherapy created by American psychologist Arthur Janov. It involves repressed pain from past trauma. Luckily, our use of it won’t be nearly as intense.  The more practical and simple idea is that screaming out loud, even for short periods, has the ability to reduce stress. The name of the game when trying to reduce stress is to produce endorphins and a good scream every once in a while is a great way to get a quick fix.  A primal scream exercise at the beginning of a meeting can be cathartic for your participants. The result is a mellow audience, primed and ready to dig in. This is beneficial for the presenter and those listening. And, even more, than your power posing, you and a roomful of other adults screaming out loud in a small conference room together are hilarious. What better way to break the ice and grab everyone’s attention?  Also, if you like being on the cutting edge, studies show swearing out loud is another viable way to reduce stress in the workplace. So, make sure the door is closed and go ahead, start your meeting off with a good dose of unnecessarily loud profanity and then go over those quarterly reviews!

 

Gamification

If the previously mentioned concepts don’t work for you, this one is sure to be a winner. One of the biggest problems facing business’ these days is lack of employee engagement.  If your employees aren’t engaged, then it’s tough to be an innovative, efficient company. When you think about it, where better so spawn excitement, innovation, and creativity than at your meetings.  One of the trendy answers to the problem of engagement nowadays is gamification.  Wikipedia defines gamification as “the application of game-design elements and game principles in non-game contexts”. In practical terms, that means give your employees some motivation to be there and receive the information you want to be disseminated.

Ways to incorporate gamification into your meetings include:

  • use of apps
  • icebreakers
  • trust exercises
  • arts and crafts (seriously), and
  • word games (in our opinion the best)

One example of a word game is not telling your people, but asking or challenging them to think the opposite of the problem you present to them.  This is an exceptional exercise because it gets your employees thinking differently and keeps them engaged. Check out the science behind it.  In the end, if people are having fun while still accomplishing work and retaining the information you are delivering, that is a super positive way to operate a meeting.  So, try incorporating gamification at the start of your next meeting. Why not play human bingo and find out who in the office has been backpacking across Europe, then you’ll all be engaged enough to sink those teeth into some pie charts!

 

We hope you’ve found this information helpful and it has you thinking differently about your next meeting.  We say, go for it!  Incorporate something new. All of these suggestions will inject fun into your workday.  And, after all, who doesn’t need a little fun in their day? No matter which one you choose, it could end up being a meeting to remember.