Fountainhead School routinely holds University Fairs for its high school students, at which officials from various universities (both in and out of India) come to the school to address student queries. This allows students to interact with these universities and learn about their admission standards, allowing them to better manage their time and incorporate activities that may boost their chances of admission to the institution of their choice. I offered to organize the UNIVERSITY FAIR, which took place on October 19th, 2023, and I was assigned the tasks of Crowd, Venue, and Food Management.

During this encounter, I covered several of the Learning Outcomes.

LO2: Because there were several colleges set up in two distinct places within the school, work planning and distribution had to be completed well in advance of the event to minimize misunderstanding. Along with this, students from four grades were invited to attend the event, and my role as throng and Venue Manager was to ensure that the throng was as spread as possible while also assisting audience members in finding the university they were searching for.

LO3: All volunteers, including me, were required to devise a strategy and layout for the event to ensure that it ran successfully. Even though we had to design a thorough strategy, that was the easy part; actually carrying it out on the day of the event with so many university officials and such a large crowd was an entirely other problem.

LO5: Given the large number of individuals we had to manage, we needed to collaborate to avoid chaos in the event’s organization. We had all split our responsibilities so that in the absence of one volunteer, others could oversee the event and ensure that it ran as smoothly as possible.

LO7: Recognizing and considering the ethical implications of choices and actions.

Throughout the planning and execution of the University Fair, I encountered several situations that required me to recognize and consider the ethical implications of my choices and actions. Here are two specific examples:

Balancing fairness and efficiency: When allocating space for universities, I had to negotiate a balance between ensuring each institution had a fair chance to interact with students and maximizing the use of available space. I considered the size of the university, the expected number of students interested in their programs, and the overall flow of traffic within the fair to make equitable decisions.

Ensuring inclusivity and accessibility: I had to be mindful of the diverse needs of the students attending the fair. This included ensuring clear signage and wayfinding for those unfamiliar with the school layout, providing space for students to rest or seek assistance, and ensuring all dietary restrictions were considered when planning the food options.