Celebrating five decades of empowering students to create the experiences that bring people together.

The Experience Industry Management (EIM) program is celebrating 50 years of preparing students to lead in industries that shape how people gather, travel and connect. What began in 1976 as Recreation Administration within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences has evolved into one of the nation’s most innovative programs focused on the experience economy, spanning sport management, experiential marketing, hospitality, outdoor recreation and sustainable tourism.

Established by Professor Emeritus Carolyn Shank, the program initially prepared students for careers in public parks and recreation. Through the 1980s and 1990s, under the leadership of Shank and retired leaders Lynn Jamieson, John Bullaro, Cynthia Moyer and Bill Hendricks, the curriculum expanded to meet growing demand in parks management, recreation programming and commercial recreation.

As industries evolved, so did the program. “The faculty in this department have always embraced a culture of change, willingness to do the homework and a vision for what’s next on the horizon,” said Hendricks, who joined the department in 1994 and served as department head from 2009-2020. Large-scale events, sport and destination management, hospitality and experiential marketing emerged as major economic drivers. Faculty worked alongside Cal Poly leaders and industry partners to broaden the curriculum and align it with changing workforce needs. In 2016, the department adopted the name Experience Industry Management, becoming the first program of its kind in California.

Today, EIM prepares students to design, manage and evaluate experiences ranging from major sporting events and festivals to tourism destinations and brand activations. “Everything is an experience – from tourism and travel, how we consume retail, how business transactions are made, to workplace culture,” said Sara Grauf, senior vice president of experience design for the San Francisco Giants and EIM Advisory Council chair. “We’re now quantifying what that means from a business perspective,”

A Community Built on Experiences 

Like all Cal Poly programs, EIM is grounded in Learn by Doing. Students gain hands-on experience by planning and executing conferences, community events, brand activations and fundraising initiatives before they graduate. “Everything I’ve learned in EIM translates into what I do on campus and beyond,” said third-year student Daniella Fernandez-Ortiz.

The program’s strengths extend beyond the classroom. Alumni and industry partners regularly return to mentor students, serve on advisory boards and collaborate on projects, reinforcing a strong professional network.

That community was evident at the EIM 50th Anniversary Celebration held Feb. 21. Planned and executed by students, the event brought together alumni, parents, faculty, students and industry partners for an evening of storytelling and recognition. The celebration raised more than $140,000 for student programs — a milestone achievement for the annual auction — and marked both a reflection on five decades of growth and a commitment to continued innovation.

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