Student Speakers for NZACE Conference Dinner
Please join us as we welcome Callum Smith of Massey University and Karishma Patel of Victoria University as the evening speakers for this year’s conference dinner. We are excited to have them joining us to share their stories of success.
Callum Smith – Massey University
Massey University Bachelor of Sport & Exercise (sports management and coaching) graduate Callum Smith will be a guest dinner speaker for the NZACE conference on April 16.
Callum graduated 2 years ago and is currently working for the New Zealand Rugby Union as their Digital Content Producer. During his final year at Massey, he undertook a work placement practicum project at the Manawatu Rugby Union as their match enhancement manager for the Turbos events in 2016.
“My experience was challenging, yet rewarding and I accomplished tasks and pulled off events that I couldn’t have imagined. The work environment was great and I received suggestions and help from a number of people. I developed my management skills through learning to effectively plan, organise, execute and control enhancement activities, and had the opportunity to develop a large range of contacts through networking with people from inside and outside the sports industry” Callum says.
Callum has already gained some extensive mega-event experience, first working on the Masters Games in Auckland in 2017 as a venues assistant, before being employed at New Zealand Rugby as the marketing and ticketing coordinator for the New Zealand Sevens. He then went to the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in 2018 where he was a transport manager.
Professor Andy Martin, who coordinates Massey’s Sport Event Management and Sport Management Practicum courses noted that, “Callum has developed quite a remarkable event management and marketing CV in a short space of time. He’s a great example of where a degree can take graduates and how the practicum placement provides a significant stepping stone to enhance graduate employability.”
Read more about Callum’s experience:
Karishma Patel – Victoria University
Current role: Policy Officer, Trade Negotiations Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Karishma completed her Master of International Relations at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) as she settled into her role at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2018. During her master’s studies, Karishma participated in the highly regarded VUW Parliamentary Internship Programme, where she spent a year interning for a New Zealand Member of Parliament in 2017. Following this, she was selected to participate in the prestigious NZUS Council Mike Moore Congressional Internship Programme, providing her with the opportunity to intern in Washington (D.C.) at the US Congress for two months. During her undergraduate studies, Karishma completed a Bachelor of Arts (BA), with majors in International Relations and Linguistics. During this time, Karishma was a part of the BA Internship, where she was provided with the opportunity to intern at the Council for International Development (CID) and subsequently participated in an exchange at Sciences Po in Paris. Karishma has been selected for a number of academic awards during her studies, including the New Zealand Business and Parliament Trust Prize for her postgraduate essay on the role of Parliament in governance and policy-making. In her spare time, Karishma enjoys being active, reading, and spending time with her young niece.
