Student Showcase

Plan Proposal

Raul Lemus
February 25, 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary 3

Problem 4

Project Description 5

Cost Analysis 7

Assessment Strategy 7

Conclusion 8

Appendix: Memo 9

Appendix: 2017 Museum Attendance 10

Appendix: 2018 Museum Attendance 11

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview
Over the last two years, the number of quarterly walk-ins at the de Saisset
museum has decreased. Also, in the last two years, the number of quarterly
walk-ins has been at its lowest in the fall quarters. Providing an opportunity for
student performers and artists to showcase their work at a free student
showcase in the fall of 2019 would increase the museum’s engagement with the
student community which would lead to an increase in the number of fall
quarter walk-ins in 2019.

Problem
According to the de Saisset museum’s attendance records, the total number of
walk-ins dropped by 18.64% from 2017 to 2018. This means that less people are
coming to the museum without an appointment, something that students who
live near campus would do. The average number of walk-ins per quarter in the
last two years is around 2,920. The total number of walk-ins in the fall of 2018
was 1,618. This proves that there is a substantial decrease in walk-ins during the
fall. Also, the total number of walk-ins in the fall of 2018 was 35% less than the
total number of walk-ins in the fall of 2017. We must act now to avoid a larger
decrease in the fall of 2019.

Solution
Host a free student showcase in the fall of 2019 to increase the museum’s
engagement with the student community.

Benefits
The student concert would benefit the Santa Clara community in many ways.
Student performers would benefit by being able to share their talents through
singing, playing an instrument, or both. Student artists would benefit by being
able to share their artwork. Students attending would benefit by attending a
tour of the museum and looking at the student artwork then watching student
performers all for free. Finally, the museum would benefit through donations,
profits on food and drinks sold, and an increase in walk-ins for the fall of 2019.

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PROBLEM
After working at the de Saisset Museum for almost half a year, I have noticed that the
number of walk-ins per day can fluctuate daily. However, such a drastic decrease of 35%
from the fall quarter of 2017 to the fall quarter of 2018 can’t just be a coincidence. It is
clear that we must find a solution to avoid a bigger decrease in walk-ins in the fall
quarter of 2019.

Looking at the de Saisset Museum attendance records from 2017 (Figure 1) and 2018
(Figure 2), I saw that there was a dramatic decrease in the total number of walk-ins for
the year and for the fall quarter. You can see this decrease in the graph of the total
number of walk-ins per quarter (Figure 3).

Figure 1: 2017 Walk-ins

Figure 2: 2018 Walk-ins

Figure 3: Total Number of Walk-ins Per Quarter

Total Number of Walk-Ins

4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Winter Quarter Spring Quarter Fall Quarter

2017 2018

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Showcase Details
The showcase will be held at the museum, with student performances and
artwork in the auditorium, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The first thirty minutes will be
used for the introduction and the tour of the museum. Students will then gather
into the auditorium where the artists and their works will be introduced.
Students will then have thirty minutes to look at the art as well as to buy food
and drinks and mingle. Then from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. the student performers will
each have ten minutes to perform. The event could be longer if there is a lot of
interest from student performers, but five performers is a good number.
For the showcase, we would have tables in the back for food and drinks and on
the sides where student artwork will be shown (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Picture of Auditorium Setup

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People
This showcase will have a positive effect on the student community at Santa
Clara University. Being a student performer myself, I know that we are always
looking for events to perform at. Student performers will love to have another
event for them to showcase their talent. This is also true for student artists who
will be positively affected by the showcase because they will have an event to
show their peers their artwork. The other students who will be attending the
showcase will be positively affected by the showcase because they can tour the
museum, see student artwork, watch student performers, and eat and drink.
Being a worker at the de Saisset museum, I know that we are always looking for
more hours. This is why the event will also positively affect museum workers
because the museum will offer them more hours.

Profit
The museum will be positively affected by the exposure to and the engagement
with the student community that the showcase would cause. However, there are
also a couple ways the museum could see profits from the showcase. The main
way that the museum will see profits is by selling food and drinks to students
attending. The type of food and drinks purchased would be up to the museum,
but food and drinks become inexpensive when bought in bulk. Another way the
museum could see profits would be from donations that would happen either
before, during, or after the event.

Sustainability
The showcase is a very sustainable event for many reasons. Regarding the
planet, we will recycle and compost all of the food and drinks that are used. The
food and drinks that aren’t used can either be saved for workers or donated to
those in need, so nothing goes to waste. Regarding longevity, I believe the
showcase is sustainable for years to come because there will always be students
who are willing to perform and share their artwork on campus. We will also
always have students willing to attend if not just for the music, art, and food
then to support their friends. As long as we have an auditorium, the student
showcase could be held for years to come.

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COST ANALYSIS
The showcase should not cost more than any other museum event. There will be four
workers working the event so their pay must be covered. Museum workers are paid
fifteen dollars an hour. At that rate, four workers working for three hours would amount
to $180 total. The other cost comes from the food and drinks that will be purchased to
sell at the showcase. This cost is up to the museum, but I used $70 total to bring the
cost of the showcase to an even $250 total. The cost is broken down in Figure 5.

Figure 5: Cost Analysis

ITEM DETAILS COST

Workers 4 worker * $15 * 3 hours $180
Food Baked goods, candy, etc. $30
Drinks Water, soda, Gatorade, etc. $40
TOTAL $250

Return on Investment
Food and drinks are cheap in bulk so $70 could get us almost 500 items of snacks
and drinks. If we sell each item for $1 to $2 then the profit could be $250 to $500
for the museum if we sell all of the items.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
There are three metrics for measuring the success of the showcase. The first metric is
the total number of walk-ins for the fall of 2019. If this number is higher than the total
number of walk-ins for the fall of 2018 and 2017 then the showcase would be successful
in increasing the number of museum walk-ins. The second metric is the amount of profit
the museum gets from selling the food and drinks. If we end up with profit, then the
showcase would be successful in making money for the museum. The final metric for
measuring success will be the overall happiness of the students involved. If student
performers, artists, and attendees enjoy the event then we know that the showcase was
successful in positive engagement with the student community. We could find this out
through a survey that we can inform students of at the end of the showcase or just by
asking. If the showcase is a huge success, the museum should consider doing one every
quarter.

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CONCLUSION
The de Saisset Museum has a great opportunity to increase their engagement with the
student community of Santa Clara University through this student showcase. Student
performers and artists will love the opportunity to share their work with their peers and
student attendees will come to support their friends or just to attend a cool event. The
museum will see benefits through student engagement, increased number of walk-ins,
and through the overall exposure to students who would have never came to the
museum if not for the student showcase. The result of the showcase will be a positive
one for the museum and for the greater Santa Clara University student community.

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APPENDIX: MEMO
TO: Rebecca Schapp, Museum Director
FROM: Raul Lemus
DATE: February 25, 2019
SUBJECT: Student Showcase at the de Saisset Museum

Dear Rebecca Schapp,

Working at the museum since the beginning of the year, I have noticed that the number of
walk-ins fluctuates from day to day. After analyzing the museum’s attendance data over the
past two years, I noticed that the number of walk-ins decreased in the fall quarter of both
years. This is why I am proposing the museum provides an opportunity for student performers
and artists to showcase their work at a student showcase in the fall quarter of 2019.

The student showcase would benefit the museum as well as the student community in many
ways. The museum will benefit by gaining exposure to students who wouldn’t have heard of
the museum if not for the showcase and by creating positive engagement with the student
community. I have also proposed that the museum sell food and drinks at the showcase to gain
some profit. The student performers and artists who are showcasing their work will benefit
greatly from the showcase because they will be happy to have an opportunity to share their
work with their peers. Students who attend will benefit by being exposed to the museum and
being able to watch performers and art for free.

The overall goal of the proposed plan is to increase the museum’s engagement with the student
community which will in turn increase the number of walk-ins to the museum. Please reach out
to me with any questions about this proposal.

Sincerely,

Raul Lemus
Santa Clara University
(714) 872-0068
rlemus@scu.edu

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APPENDIX: 2017 Museum Attendance

10
APPENDIX: 2018 Museum Attendance

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