SPS Stories
Alumni Spotlight
Event Planner on Balancing Work, Life, and School
Fast Facts
- Eva E. K. "EEK" Castleton worked full-time while completing her degree and was in her third trimester of pregnancy when she graduated
- She now owns her own event management company called EEK Events, LLC.
- Eva advises incoming students to take advantage of every opportunity NYU offers to network and attend events
<p><span class="p-body">What makes an outstanding event—a memorable wedding, an unforgettable concert, or a successful fundraising gala? Event management professionals! The <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-event-management.html" title="Master's in Event Management">MS in Event Management</a> program at NYU SPS is at the cutting edge of this lively industry, equipping students with the resources, experiences, and networking opportunities they need to place themselves at the center of everything.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">One recent program graduate, Eva E. K. "EEK" Castleton, sat down with us to share her experience completing her MS in Event Management while juggling a full-time role, growing her own event business, and starting a family.</span></p>
A Foundation in the Arts
<p>Growing up in the New York City metro area with parents who attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Castleton was always drawn to the city’s magnetism. She spent her childhood immersed in the arts, and it was this foundation that would eventually lead her to a fulfilling career in event management.</p>
<p>Castleton’s arts and theater career blossomed when she attended Wells College, a small liberal arts college in upstate New York, where she focused on the technical side of theater. "If you were to speak to more event professionals, you'd find that there's a strong theater-to-event pipeline because both fields involve putting together live events," she explains. Her undergraduate thesis in costuming and dramaturgy further honed her skills in building and managing events, setting the stage—literally and figuratively—for her future in event management.</p>
<p>After college, Castleton took on various roles, from working in costuming for the Ithaca Shakespeare Festival to managing fundraising events for organizations like the Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks and the Big Apple Circus. During these roles, she realized her true passion was not just in fundraising but in the events themselves. “Every position I held, I was always drawn toward the event side of things,” she says.</p>
The Shift to Event Planning
<p>While working in fundraising, Castleton began taking on freelance event planning gigs, including working with wedding planners in New York City. “Working on weddings really fed that ‘putting on a show’ itch,” she shares, explaining how her passion for creating unique and memorable experiences for clients began to take shape. This side hustle eventually evolved into her own events business, EEK Events.</p>
<p>As Castleton’s interest in event management grew, she was ready to take her experiences to the classroom and sought further education to enhance her skills and knowledge. A quick search led her to discover NYU’s newly established <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-event-management.html" title="Master's in Event Management">MS in Event Management</a> program. “It felt like the convergence of all my past lives,” Castleton recalls. She applied, was accepted, and spent the next two years balancing her studies, freelance work, and a full-time job at the Tarrytown Music Hall.</p>
Work, Life, and School Balance
<p>Balancing a full-time job, freelance gigs, and graduate school would be a challenge for anyone, but Eva took it all in stride. Her experience at NYU SPS included a mix of in-person and online classes. “I learned best with in-person classes because so much of the coursework was collaborative,” she notes. However, when she found out she was expecting a child, she strategically planned her final semester to be entirely online. “That was the only way I could have done it,” she admits.</p>
<p>Despite the challenges, Eva made the most of her time at NYU, taking advantage of networking opportunities and even creating an unofficial club, Party People, to bring her classmates together outside of the classroom. “As an ambivert, I was able to take those one-on-one relationships and build bridges between my classmates,” she says.</p>
Looking Ahead with EEK Events
<p>Now, as the founder of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eekevents/" title="EEK Events Instagram">EEK Events</a>, Castleton is excited about the future. She is currently planning two weddings for 2025, both of which reflect her commitment to creating unique and personalized experiences for her clients. “My goal with EEK Events is to allow people to have the most uniquely ‘them’ experience,” she says, describing how she embraces clients’ unconventional ideas, like having a tattoo artist at a wedding reception.</p>
<p>While on parental leave, Castleton remains eager to expand her business and take on new challenges. “I’m looking to launch more broadly and take on clients who haven’t heard of anyone who’s heard of me,” she shares, highlighting her ambition to grow EEK Events beyond word-of-mouth referrals.</p>
Advice for Future Students
<p>Building relationships and taking initiative were vital to Castleton’s success at NYU SPS. “Try to put together a diverse schedule with your professors, as those connections are so important,” she advises. She also encourages incoming students to consider pursuing an independent thesis, as it offers a unique opportunity to explore personal interests and grow academically.</p>
<p>As a student, Castleton found ingenious ways to squeeze in coursework. She even gives a shout-out to the comfortable seats on the Metro North, which allowed her to work during her commutes from Dobbs Ferry to Manhattan. Anything is possible, and Castleton’s instructors were understanding of her busy schedule. She shares,</p>
My professors knew that we, especially the older students, were working, and they were understanding. I even got a gig working for New York Comic Con, which overlapped with some of my classes, but my professors understood and asked me to share my experience with the class afterward.”
Memorable Events and Lessons Learned
<p><span class="p-body">When asked about her most memorable event, Castleton recalls her time working for the Big Apple Circus, where she helped organize family benefits with the magic of the circus. There was a moment during the event when families chose to sit on the floor instead of going back to their seats, which her team hadn’t accounted for. She shares the lesson learned: "You can have the best intentions for how the flow of people will go, but sometimes you have to let go and allow for those magical moments,” she reflects.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">Another standout event in her career was a wedding on a yacht on the Hudson River. “The views were insane, the breeze was delicious, and the guests were so excited as we passed the Statue of Liberty,” she recalls. It’s these moments of joy and connection that fuel Castleton’s passion for event planning and drive her to continue creating unforgettable experiences for her clients.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">Stay up to date with Eva E. K. "EEK" Castleton’s business by following <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/eek-inc-events/" title="EEK Events LLC. Linkedin">EEK Events, LLC</a> on LinkedIn. </span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">NYU SPS students know that anything is possible, including making a busy schedule work in their favor. Join the next cohort of event professionals when you pursue an <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-event-management.html" title="Master's in Event Management">MS in Event Management</a> today.</span></p>
