THE VANESSA COTTON SCHOLARSHIP
WIN A PAID GRADUATE PLACEMENT WITHIN A LEADING EVENTS AGENCY
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
ABOUT THE VANESSA COTTON SCHOLARSHIP
The Vanessa Cotton Scholarship was created in 2011, by MPI UK & Ireland in honour of UK event industry veteran Vanessa Cotton. Vanessa was a champion of young meeting professionals. She had a long and distinguished career in the UK meetings & events industry and passed away in 2010 after a battle with cancer. Each year the scholarship is open to final year students, who will complete an event management or meetings industry-related degree/diploma in the UK or Ireland.
WIN A PAID GRADUATE PLACEMENT WITH A LEADING GLOBAL EVENTS AGENCY
This year MPI UK & Ireland and BCD Meetings & Events are working together to offer the winner of this scholarship a paid 18 month graduate placement at BCD Meetings and Events, starting September 2025. The winner will have the chance to work within each of the key lines of business to learn and work with some of the best in the industry and experience what it means to work for a global meetings agency.
WHAT DOES AN INTERNSHIP WITH BCD M&E INVOLVE?
Graduate Event Coordinator is an entry level role which offers a rotation across our key line of business within BCD Meetings & Events UK. This is an 18-month programme which will give you a great foundation and build your skills to continue your career within the meetings and events industry. Upon completion of the programme, you will have gained valuable insight into the workings of a Global Meetings & Events agency – one of the best in the industry!
YOUR SCHOLARSHIP AT BCD MEETINGS & EVENTS AT A GLANCE
DURATION
18 Months
COMPETITIVE SALARY
£24500 - £28000
LOCATION
United Kingdom
START DATE
September 2025
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Listen to our 2024 winners and what they have to say about their experience of working for BCD M&E and global agency as part of their placement:
"I have found this graduate program to be an incredibly valuable experience. It has given me the opportunity to rotate across different departments, allowing me to gain a comprehensive understanding of how an event company operates.
I would highly recommend this opportunity to other final-year students. BCD is a strong and well-established company, and for graduates, joining such an organization provides a great chance to quickly adapt to the fast-paced nature of the event industry while gaining exposure to the full scope of work involved. Moreover, the company culture is fantastic—the employees are incredibly helpful, and the overall working environment is very supportive and welcoming."
Siqi Chen, 2024 Vanessa Cotton Scholarship
JOIN A TEAM THAT SETS THE STANDARD IN MEETINGS & EVENTS
BCD Meetings & Events design exceptional experiences that spark connections for their clients, and they aim to do the same for their people. Their global teams are comprised of talented creatives who share a passion for bringing people together in the most remarkable and exciting of ways. They are always looking for new and unique perspectives that can push the art of meeting and event design forward.
GLOBAL EVENT MANAGEMENT AGENCY GRADUATE PLACEMENT
Applications close Friday 11th April 2025