The concept of “club” shopping is not that much different from running a summer conference program on campus. An appealing host can provide to its guests a one-stop shop of sorts, where parking, food and lodging can be taken care of at a single desk.

This, says Administrative Services Director Tim Lopez, is precisely the kind of service that Claremont McKenna College offers from group to group, summer to summer, year to year. And it’s the kind of customer service he hopes will continue to grow the conference program.

Particularly now, as colleges and universities eye additional revenue sources, hosting a successful summer conference program can raise bottom-line numbers.

“We have such good facilities anyway,” said Lopez, “that it’s a shame not to maximize our potential.”

From those inquiries, three new groups have opted to host events on campus over the next weeks and months. The Universal Cheerleaders Association--hosting its first event at CMC—will bring in 500-plus cheerleaders on June 28. Simultaneously, CMC will host return visitors for Girls State, which means there will be no vacancies on campus during that time—an unusual occurrence for the College. But it’s also an ideal one. The cheerleaders have only requested use of the outside areas and gym, which still leaves all of the academic teaching space available.

The Shriners are another group coming to campus this summer. The charity raises millions of dollars annually to help fund childrens’ hospital expenses. Players from its All-Star Football Classic will be lodging and dining at Collins for a week before the big game (hosted this year at Mt. San Antonio College), and using The Colleges' football fields for practice. “Hopefully this will be a repeat group, as well,” Lopez said. “They’re looking for a home, and we’re looking for a good group to put on our July calendar.”

A third new guest this year is Mimestry, run by a husband and wife team from Pasadena. Another nomadic group of about 100, Lopez hopes the troupe will find a permanent summer home at CMC. The two-week conference will feature a guest appearance by famed mime Marcel Marceau.

Having a good neighbor policy is key to keeping guests happy, and is crucial to a successful summer program, he says. “There are some obvious groups that would be a mismatch to have on campus,” Lopez said. “We do try to maintain a sensitivity to the people we host, and not mix, for example, youth groups with a group of adults here for serious study. We try to find groups that fit that balance, and better yet—are repetitive groups; if not every year, then every second or third year.
Having adequate staff on campus also makes for a smooth program, and Lopez said having the help of CMC student assistants is essential. “We couldn’t run the program without them,” he said.

Four CMC students will be helping with this summer’s activities.

“One reason I applied for the job was to gain the experience of working with a diverse array of people,” said Katie Smillie ’05. “I also attended camps, such as the ones we host, when I was younger. Although they are usually only a week long, they are a very memorable event in a young person’s life. Knowing this, I value the importance of the quality work that goes into managing a conference.”

Conference veteran Jeff Smith '03 says, “I love the job because every day there is a new challenge where wisdom and creativity, along with teamwork and trust, are needed. The campus is full of life over the summer break, and that keeps me on my toes.”

Students Rachel Kutteruf '04 and Tiffany Czuchna '03 also are on staff as summer conference assistants.

The beauty of CMC’s program is that it puts people’s needs first. “Unlike some of the offices around here, we have the facilities and the conferences under one umbrella,” Lopez said. “So we balance that as we see fit. Some of the other campuses are running these huge conference programs and they can’t fit into their buildings.”

A complete listing of this year’s summer conferences is available at: http://facilities.admin.claremontmckenna.edu/conferences