DePauw Stories

You may not know it, but if you’ve attended an Ubben lecture or a Monon Bell game or even reserved a room for a meeting on campus, you’ve been in contact with space and events planning manager Angie Battin. She’s the one behind the scenes coordinating the logistics from the temperature of the room to flowers on the stage to the setup of the space.

Her tenure at DePauw began at Roy O. West Library, where she oversaw interlibrary loans. Then, she moved “upstairs” to work with the main collection before applying for her current position in 2006.

Her involvement in an event begins once a space is reserved and expands to coordinate any services needed, including setup, grounds crew work, catering and media services. 

“During the last several years, we’ve taken a more thoughtful approach to event planning with the use of technology, which enables us to work more efficiently,” Battin says. That approach includes a work order system coupled with an event management system and advanced diagramming programs.

Battin says many people who plan events have “grand ideas” of how they’d like their event to be and, while she wants to support that, it’s not always possible.

“I’m here to inject that dose of realism and work to partner with our event planners on campus to make sure they get the most out of what resources we have available to us,” she says.

Another part of Battin’s job is handling the room management system. With about 18,000 entries each academic year, Battin confirms every one of them, verifying whether or not the space is available and appropriate for the event.

In addition, she coordinates support for summer camps and conferences. “That includes all of our guests starting with commencement housing for our parents to alumni reunion weekend housing for our alums. 

“What I learned right off was that, in order to do this job well, you really have to participate in all aspects of it,” Battin says. “You can’t not be immersed in it. So if it has been done, I’ve done it. I’m right there in the trenches. 

“What’s kept me at DePauw for 19 years? Honestly, I love this job. I love being able to connect with the people – faculty, staff and students. And I know what we do is important. The support we provide to the university is important.”