Creating memorable experiences for groups across North Carolina
By NIA FREEMAN
CHAPEL HILL, NC (September 20, 2024) — From inspiring planetarium moments to exciting interactive activities, Group Sales Coordinator Shamiya Lyons helps coordinate memories of a lifetime.
Starting her journey at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in March 2022, Lyons spearheads and supervises both the Reservations and Guest Relations Assistants teams. Working closely with field trips and private group visits, she is likely to be found communicating with teachers and administrators, finalizing itineraries, and ensuring guests have the best possible experiences.
“I think my favorite part is not knowing what the day may bring – it keeps me on my toes,” said Lyons. “Things can go awry at any moment when you’re working with a large number of kids. So, when things don’t go as planned, I do a lot of pivoting, thinking on my feet, and trying to get multiple other departments on board within a timely manner to make sure that [guests] are leaving here with a one-of-a-kind type of experience.”
During a typical field trip or group visit at Morehead, patrons can explore three floors of exhibits before or after their selected planetarium show. With additional opportunities for tinkering in the Launch Lab and live demonstrations on the Science Stage, the building is often lively and filled with a sense of curiosity that Morehead hopes to spark for a lifetime. Lyons enjoys being witness to this positivity and seeing where conversations with students can go when she has a few minutes to chat with them.
“I think it’s important to have trips at places like Morehead because everybody learns differently, and everybody may enjoy learning in different types of environments,” Lyons said. “I think being able to offer a diverse environment versus their typical, everyday setting in the classroom is very important. It, a lot of the times, shines a light on maybe different topics or information that [a student] may not know they have questions about.”
In hopes of continuing to foster a love for science, Lyons has been working closely with her team and colleagues to improve guest experiences and provide a conducive learning environment for all. One step in this initiative is reducing the capacity for field trips to maximize efficiency and provide more room to interact with exhibits, shop in the Cosmic Goods gift shop, and explore Morehead’s historical building. According to Lyons, it is paramount that guests leave feeling like they learned something and have an experience that matches or exceeds their expectations.
With most of her work focusing on field trips and larger reservations, Lyons hopes to see more private opportunities for smaller crowds, such as homeschool and senior groups, in the future. Due to current availability and scheduling constraints, it is occasionally difficult to work around the large public and private schools that come every year. However, Lyons would like to reach a point when Morehead can accommodate all group inquiries, providing top-notch private programming for a range of audiences.
In addition to Lyons’ dedication to customer service, she has a passion for her student staff’s success and enjoys watching them excel in new areas. For Lyons, the connections she has made at Morehead are an important aspect of her work and add to her overall work environment.
“The best part, between doing this job and one that I’ve previously had that was similar, is the amount of time that I get to spend getting to know my students, just getting to watch them experience working at a job of this magnitude and falling in love with helping the kids,” Lyons said.
Throughout her tenure, Lyons has played a crucial role in the guest experience and in creating memorable opportunities for visitors of all ages. Morehead is proud to have such a dedicated team member, whose work and support embodies the Science for All mission.