Thoughts from Arkansas... Looking for the Perfect Black Dress?

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By Cheri D. Jones, CMP

Have you ever looked for the perfect black dress?  Or maybe the perfect tie to go with the  suit you just bought.  Well, I have been looking for the perfect way to earn CEUs for CMP recertification.  The problem with my scenario is that I don't have the luxury of having a MPI or PCMA chapter nearby.  Here in the Northwest Arkansas (some refer to us as being in the South), the closest chapter is Tulsa.  Since Tulsa is 1.5 hours away, it is not feasible to go to chapter meetings.  I wanted to share several free resources that provide CEUs.  There are many others that begin at $99, but I wanted to focus on those that are FREE, since many are pinching pennies these days.

1.  http://www.meetingsfocus.com/EducationWebinars/tabid/68/Default.aspx
Meetings Focus offers a variety of webinars.  These webinars provide 1 CEU for recertification and .1 points toward the initial CMP application.  The topics are very cutting edge.  Meetings Focus offers live monthly webinars at Noon Central time.  Listed below are the upcoming sessions for the remainder of the year.
October 28 - Site Selection: From Start to Finish
November 18 - Cruising:  Meeting at Sea
December 16 - 2010 Meeting Market Trends Survey
During the live webinars, questions can be submitted online and answered live by the speaker.   Surveys also are taken during the session, and the results are posted.

This Web site also offers past webinars on demand.  Registering is as easy as 1, 2 and 3.  Once you register, an e-mail is sent to you with the webinar link.  Each webinar offers educational handouts and a CEU certificate.

2. http://www.mpiweb.org/Education/Online.aspx - The MPI Web site also offers complimentary webinars.  At this time, the webinars online are all on demand.  This resource is self maintained.  I printed the handouts for my file, not only for future reference but also to keep track of the topics for the recertification.  These webinars showcased on the MPI Web site certainly made me think outside of the box.  I have listed the topics below:
Prove Your Worth
How Meeting Planners Can Change the World
Industry Challenges and Solutions

3.  http://www.emcvenues.com/Education-Connections/Webinars-Training - I recently found this Web site and  registered for a webinar on October 8.  I did contact them, and CEU's are offered.  EMC Venues e-mails you a confirmation for your file.

Hopefully these resources will be a "perfect fit" for you in continuing your education.   If you have any questions, you can contact me at cjones@vistaprod.com.

(Cheri D. Jones, CMP is a meeting manager for Vista Productions in the Arkansas office. She can be reached at 479-599-6082 or by e-mail at cjones@vistaprod.com. Cheri is also a member of PCMA.)