MPI Unveils Plans to Develop Inclusion-Focused Educational Programming, Enlisting the NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality to Conduct Research for this Important Initiative

DALLAS, June 5, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announced today during its 2018 World Education Congress (WEC18) it will develop new education and resources to help meeting planners design more inclusive experiences. As part of this initiative, the association is collaborating with the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality to conduct a research study that will examine tactics, which can be utilized to make all attendees at meetings and conferences feel welcome through inclusive event design.

Following completion of the study, which is sponsored by the MPI Foundation, MPI will present the findings at the MPI 2018 Thought Leaders Summit, benefitting the MPI Foundation, in November. The association will collect feedback from industry leaders and senior-level meeting planners during the summit, and their insights will then be used to influence development of the MPI Academy's new Inclusive Experience Strategist Certificate Program, which is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2019.

"We look forward to working collaboratively with industry influencers to inform both the research and education of this very important initiative," said Melissa Majors, director of the MPI Academy. "MPI encourages our members to embrace and foster an inclusive business environment, and we want to help them design universally inclusive events with our Inclusive Experience Strategist Certificate Program."

The new education program will entail a four-hour, interactive training session that addresses how to make practical inclusion decisions and the tactics for doing so. Participants will learn the business case or rationale, key principles and strategies, and outline of tactics for planning for inclusion. To ensure the education is actionable and performance-based, MPI is partnering with Dawn Snyder, Ph.D., C.P.T., Prosci CCMP of Dawn Snyder Associates to lead the development of MPI's inclusion-related learning experiences.

MPI selected the NYUSPS Tisch Center as the research partner for this initiative due to the school's and the university's broad wealth of expertise in diversity and inclusion. Both promote the study of diversity issues worldwide, while addressing historical, present, and future implications of diversity around the globe.

"We are delighted to contribute to this important undertaking," asserted Nicolas Graf, associate dean of the NYUSPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality. "The hospitality and tourism industries are at the very forefront of diversity and inclusion. Lending our expertise to this project creates a powerful collaboration that bridges the gap between academia and the business world on this critical issue."

"Through this program, our objective is to drive genuine change that results in differentiated inclusive event experiences. Getting better at making all people feel welcome is simply another progression in MPI's evolution and long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion," added Majors.

Respecting diversity is one of MPI's three Principles of Professionalism. Specifically, the principle urges MPI members to embrace and foster an inclusive business climate of respect for all peoples regardless of national origin, race, religion, sex, marital status, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental impairment. In January 2018, MPI revised this principle to include specific wording stating that MPI will not tolerate harassment of any kind within its global community.

To learn more about MPI Academy education programs and the MPI 2018 Thought Leaders Summit, visit www.mpi.org.

About NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality
The NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality has prepared global leaders in the dynamic, expanding industries of travel, tourism, and hospitality for more than 20 years. With widely recognized, cutting-edge undergraduate and graduate degree and noncredit Career Advancement Courses and Professional Diplomas, as well as a deep commitment to integrating theory with practice, the NYUSPS Tisch Center is the perfect environment in which to embark upon an academic journey that prepares professionals for careers in hospitality and tourism. Students have access to the extraordinary resources of New York University, one of the world's leading research and teaching institutions. Tisch Center students benefit not only from the expertise of dedicated full-time faculty members, but also from adjunct faculty members and guest lecturers who are renowned in their fields, unparalleled access to industry leaders, invaluable site visits and study away opportunities, and highly successful global alumni who serve as mentors. Through rigorous curricula, applicable research, and a hands-on approach to learning, students gain the preparation, knowledge, and skills sought by employers. For more information about the NYUSPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, visit sps.nyu.edu/tisch.

About Dawn Snyder & Associates
Dawn Snyder Associates has, for 20 years, been committed to improving the performance of workgroups and organizations by providing customized learning strategies and solutions to performance problems. Tempered in the Silicon Valley of California, they have provided for some of the world's premier high-profile technology companies such as Apple Computer, Hewlett-Packard, and Sun Microsystems.

About MPI
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the largest meeting and event industry association worldwide. The organization provides innovative and relevant education, networking opportunities and business exchanges, and acts as a prominent voice for the promotion and growth of the industry. MPI has a global community of 60,000 meeting and event professionals including more than 17,000 engaged members and its Plan Your Meetings audience. It has more than 90 chapters and clubs in 19 countries. "When we meet, we change the world." www.mpi.org

CONTACT: Sonya Thorpe Cobb, [email protected]

SOURCE Meeting Professionals International

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