Meet the Conferences Reservations and Event Services team

October 22, 2024
Categories: Faculty/Staff
Conferences Reservations and Event Services Team

Lucian Wilhelm
Lucian Wilhelm is the senior associate director of CRES. She will celebrate 30 years at UNC Charlotte in March. She has been working in the reservations office since she was a student at Charlotte.

Caleb Holguin ’22
Holguin, an event services coordinator for CRES, has held this role for 10 months. He had worked at The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City for a year after graduating from the University.

Aisling Jerome
Aisling Jerome is an event services coordinator for CRES and has worked at UNC Charlotte for seven years.

About CRES

CRES processes an estimated 40,000 reservations annually. August and April tend to be the busiest months for the department as people rush to get events in at the beginning and end of the school year. That number has remained steady since the Popp Martin Student Union opened in 2008.

guide for students and On-Campus DEpartments

  • Visit cres.charlotte.edu
  • Review FAQs
  • Review a list of available spaces.
  • Review CRES policies.
  • Fill out a request form; it will help CRES determine what type of event you are planning and how they can help
  • Stop by the CRES Office in the Popp Martin Student Union, Room 251, with any questions.
  • Respond to emails from CRES in a timely manner.
  • Be proactive and provide as many details about your event as possible.

Hear more from the team

How does CRES help facilitate free speech on campus?

Wilhelm: We want to make sure that the organization and the event attendees have a good experience. We want them to be safe, and we want the institution to be safe. So, getting them in the right spot, with the right support and the right services is the way we help support free speech.

What are the most exciting and challenging parts of your job?

Jerome: What’s exciting are the different types of events on campus from goat yoga to piano smashes. We work with a lot of student organizations, many that are planning events for the first time. They have these really great ideas, and it’s refreshing to be approached and see how I can help them and walk them through the process.

Wilhelm: There are so many student organizations, and it’s so exciting to see the University grow.

Holguin: With so many different types of events, part of the challenge is figuring out how to work them, where to put them, and what space is going to be best.

How can students help you?

Wilhelm: Come the second you have an idea. Space is limited and goes quickly. A lot of these events take several weeks to months of planning to be successful, so it’s very important for us to be a part of the planning process from the beginning. We have done many of these events before, and we can really be a resource. Our goal is to not say “No, we can’t do that,” our goal is to find the win-win.

Jerome: “We want to help make these events successful. The earlier you come to us and the more information and details you can provide to us, even if they’re just ideas, really helps us guide you into what we can actually accommodate.”

What is your favorite event you have put on?

Wilhelm: My favorite is when I did a “Rock the Vote” and got to meet the Beastie Boys. It’s really a no-brainer for me!

Holguin: The ROTC graduate reception. I always enjoy those types of receptions for graduating students, because I was once in their shoes.

Jerome: Every year, I help with the Panhellenic recruitment. That’s always interesting for me because it’s one weekend, but it’s seven sororities, so I’m basically planning seven weekend-long events.