Ten Year Anniversary of The Office Convention
The Office Convention in Scranton began with a live Today show broadcast from campus on Oct. 26, 2007.Ten years ago, The University of Scranton hosted a live broadcast with Al Roker of NBC’s Today show to kick-off the three-day Office Convention that brought to the city 15 cast members from “The Office,” a dozen writers, producers and more than 150 journalists covering the events.
The Office Convention provided an opportunity for the University to showcase its campus to a national audience and allowed students the chance to participate in events throughout the city. Student government and student programming leaders played a role in planning the convention and dozens of students majoring in communication assisted public relations staff members with journalists and cast members at events on campus.
The Office Convention Oct. 26-28, 2007 Quick Facts:• 3,000 people greeted Al Roker of the Today show for a live broadcast from campus on Oct. 26, 2007. Today Weekend also did a broadcast from campus on Oct. 27, 2007• 400 University of Scranton students volunteered for the convention• 10,000 attended the Office Convention over a three-day period• 3,400 attended a Q and A with the cast at the University’s Long Center• 157 journalists attended the convention, including reporters from The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, USA Today, MTV/VH1 and the Associated Press.
In addition to the Today show broadcast, which was attended by more than 3,000 people and featured the University’s cheerleaders, Urban Beats and nine cast members of The Office, other events included a Street Festival, Dunder Mifflin Infinity’s Office Olympics, food, local vendors selling Scranton-related merchandise and two open-air stages offering a wide assortment of live entertainment. There was also a Q&A panel with cast members, a Bloggers’ Breakfast and a Writers’ Block discussion. Many of the events were held on the campus.
The Convention was the brainchild of Scrantonians Michele Dempsey, Sara Hailstone and University of Scranton alumnus Tim Holmes, class of 1988, who collectively chaired the events, which were organized with the assistance of the City of Scranton, the Lackawanna County Convention & Visitors Bureau, WBRE-TV, Times Shamrock Newspapers, The University of Scranton, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and Mohegan Sun.
Cast members from NBC’s “The Office” were on campus for a live broadcast with Al Roker of Today to begin The Office Convention in Scranton. More than 3,000 people were on hand to provide a Royal Welcome to cast members Leslie David Baker (Stanley), Brian Baumgartner (Kevin), Creed Bratton (Creed), Kate Flannery (Meredith), Oscar Nunez (Oscar), Angela Kinsey (Angela) and Craig Robinson (Darryl).
It started in Scranton – The Office cast members Creed Bratton and Kate Flannery perform the Pennsylvania Polka at The Office Convention.
“The Office” Wrap Party took place in Scranton on May 4, 2013, with appearances by Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ellie Kemper, Brian Baumgartner, Oscar Nunez, Phyllis Smith, Paul Lieberstein, Kate Flannery, Creed Bratton, Craig Robinson, Andy Buckley and Steve Carell. Cast members signed autographs and posed for photos with fans that included hundreds of University students during a parade that began on campus and ended a few blocks away at Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton. Student Government officers and the University’s cheerleaders, dance team, Urban Beats Crew, WUSR radio station, Royal Harmony and Men and Women for Octaves participated in events, several of which were on campus.
