Introducing our Senior Project Student!

We are thrilled to introduce you to Sarah, who is completing her Senior Project with us to learn more about one of her future career passions, event planning!.

My name is Sarah Nusekabel and I am a senior from New Trier High School. I love to spend my free time riding horses, and taking art classes.  I really enjoyed a glass art class I took at my high school last year and I have also taken metal-smithing jewelry classes in the past.  As long as I can remember, I have loved any chance I can get to be creative.  In the fall I was enrolled in the Marketing and Merchandising in Fashion course at my school.  My class collaborated with Oak Street Design and Old Orchard in order to create a visual merchandising display for Barnes and Noble’s cafe, Williams and Sonoma, and the Westfield Concierge.  We worked with Amanda Wolfson from Oak Street Design, and learned about the process of planning and editing throughout the project. As with event planning, every little detail was important in creating a final product that we could be proud of.  I have always enjoyed planning dinners and birthday parties for my friends and family; with one of my career interests in event planning, Amanda referred me to Michelle Durpetti Events. After looking at their blog and pictures from weddings and events they had planned, it was evident that interning with them would be a great opportunity, and the perfect way for me learn more about event planning careers.

            While I continue working at MDE, I hope to learn more about what goes into creating the timeline and how the creative aspects are organized, so they all come together seamlessly.  I plan to study marketing next year in college, so I hope to learn more about how to MDE uses social media like Twitter, and Pinterest to advertise their company and their ideas. During my time at MDE so far, I saw the Paper Styled Shoot Challenge video they prepared for Style Unveiled, which gave me a better understanding as to how their company is advertised and the multiple techniques that can be used to do so.

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I had the opportunity right before senior project to volunteer at the Fierce, Fabulous, and Five event, which celebrated MDE’s 5th Anniversary as well as a launch of a new venue space, Loft 644.  I was able to learn a lot about what really happens on-site to produce an event and I worked mainly on the sweets table with Amy DiTomasso of Sugar Chic Designs. The process reminded me of a visual merchandise display, with the simple goal of catching peoples’ eye and attracting them to your table. Every single detail of the table was well thought out, from the placement of each glass jar of candy to the types of candy in each dish.  This was a new experience for me and it was amazing to see the transformation of Loft 644 from the beginning of the set up to the end.  I am also excited to assist with the Chicago Opera Theater’s Annual Gala on the last day of my project because I will learn more about the day of components and how the timeline comes together over time.