diff --git a/src/backend/src/services/calendar.services.ts b/src/backend/src/services/calendar.services.ts
index 8e07d2f609..aec453da3a 100644
--- a/src/backend/src/services/calendar.services.ts
+++ b/src/backend/src/services/calendar.services.ts
@@ -311,17 +311,16 @@ export default class CalendarService {
     });
 
     // Validate required memberIds
-    if (requiredMemberIds.length > 0) {
-      const foundMembers = await prisma.user.findMany({
-        where: {
-          userId: { in: requiredMemberIds },
-          organizations: { some: { organizationId: organization.organizationId } }
-        }
-      });
-      if (foundMembers.length !== requiredMemberIds.length) {
-        const missingIds = requiredMemberIds.filter((id) => !foundMembers.some((user) => user.userId === id));
-        throw new NotFoundException('User', missingIds.join(', '));
+
+    const foundMembers = await prisma.user.findMany({
+      where: {
+        userId: { in: requiredMemberIds || submitter.userId },
+        organizations: { some: { organizationId: organization.organizationId } }
       }
+    });
+    if (foundMembers.length !== requiredMemberIds.length) {
+      const missingIds = requiredMemberIds.filter((id) => !foundMembers.some((user) => user.userId === id));
+      throw new NotFoundException('User', missingIds.join(', '));
     }
 
     // Validate optionals memberIds
@@ -422,6 +421,11 @@ export default class CalendarService {
     // Check for conflicts using expanded slots
     const { hasConflict, conflictingEvent } = await checkEventConflicts(scheduleSlots, organization, location, undefined);
 
+    const allRequiredMembers = [
+      ...requiredMemberIds,
+      ...(requiredMemberIds.includes(submitter.userId) ? [] : [submitter.userId])
+    ];
+
     const newEvent = await prisma.event.create({
       data: {
         userCreatedId: submitter.userId,
@@ -429,7 +433,7 @@ export default class CalendarService {
         title,
         eventTypeId,
         requiredMembers: {
-          connect: requiredMemberIds.map((userId) => ({ userId }))
+          connect: allRequiredMembers.map((userId) => ({ userId }))
         },
         optionalMembers: {
           connect: optionalMemberIds.map((userId) => ({ userId }))
@@ -471,7 +475,7 @@ export default class CalendarService {
     let calendarEventIds: string[] = [];
     if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
       try {
-        const allMemberIds = [...requiredMemberIds, ...optionalMemberIds];
+        const allMemberIds = [...allRequiredMembers, ...optionalMemberIds];
         const isInPerson = !!location;
 
         calendarEventIds = await createCalendarEvent(
@@ -496,7 +500,11 @@ export default class CalendarService {
 
     if (foundEventType.sendSlackNotifications) {
       const members = await prisma.user.findMany({
-        where: { userId: { in: optionalMemberIds.concat(requiredMemberIds) } }
+        where: {
+          userId: {
+            in: optionalMemberIds.concat(allRequiredMembers)
+          }
+        }
       });
 
       // get the user settings for all the members invited, who are leaderingship
@@ -633,17 +641,15 @@ export default class CalendarService {
     }
 
     // Validate required memberIds
-    if (requiredMemberIds.length > 0) {
-      const foundMembers = await prisma.user.findMany({
-        where: {
-          userId: { in: requiredMemberIds },
-          organizations: { some: { organizationId: organization.organizationId } }
-        }
-      });
-      if (foundMembers.length !== requiredMemberIds.length) {
-        const missingIds = requiredMemberIds.filter((id) => !foundMembers.some((user) => user.userId === id));
-        throw new NotFoundException('User', missingIds.join(', '));
+    const foundMembers = await prisma.user.findMany({
+      where: {
+        userId: { in: requiredMemberIds || submitter.userId },
+        organizations: { some: { organizationId: organization.organizationId } }
       }
+    });
+    if (foundMembers.length !== requiredMemberIds.length) {
+      const missingIds = requiredMemberIds.filter((id) => !foundMembers.some((user) => user.userId === id));
+      throw new NotFoundException('User', missingIds.join(', '));
     }
 
     // Validate optional memberIds
@@ -741,8 +747,13 @@ export default class CalendarService {
       }
     }
 
+    const allRequiredMembers = [
+      ...requiredMemberIds,
+      ...(requiredMemberIds.includes(submitter.userId) ? [] : [submitter.userId])
+    ];
+
     // throw if a user isn't found, then build prisma queries for connecting userIds
-    const updatedRequiredMembers = getPrismaQueryUserIds(await getUsers(requiredMemberIds));
+    const updatedRequiredMembers = [...getPrismaQueryUserIds(await getUsers(allRequiredMembers))];
     const updatedOptionalMembers = getPrismaQueryUserIds(await getUsers(optionalMemberIds));
 
     // Update the event with new data (excluding schedule slots)
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/unit/calendar.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/unit/calendar.test.ts
index 50a6b39623..ddcbaa9b25 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/unit/calendar.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/unit/calendar.test.ts
@@ -901,8 +901,8 @@ describe('Calendar Tests', () => {
 
       expect(result.title).toBe('Team Sync');
       expect(result.eventTypeId).toBe(eventType.eventTypeId);
-      expect(result.requiredMembers).toHaveLength(1);
-      expect(result.requiredMembers[0].userId).toBe(member.userId);
+      expect(result.requiredMembers).toHaveLength(2);
+      expect(result.requiredMembers[1].userId).toBe(member.userId);
       expect(result.optionalMembers).toHaveLength(1);
       expect(result.optionalMembers[0].userId).toBe(adminUser.userId);
       expect(result.shops).toHaveLength(1);
@@ -1007,8 +1007,8 @@ describe('Calendar Tests', () => {
 
       expect(result.title).toBe('Minimal Event');
       expect(result.eventTypeId).toBe(eventType.eventTypeId);
-      expect(result.requiredMembers).toHaveLength(1);
-      expect(result.requiredMembers[0].userId).toBe(member.userId);
+      expect(result.requiredMembers).toHaveLength(2);
+      expect(result.requiredMembers[1].userId).toBe(member.userId);
       expect(result.optionalMembers).toHaveLength(1);
       expect(result.optionalMembers[0].userId).toBe(adminUser.userId);
       expect(result.shops).toHaveLength(1);
@@ -1887,8 +1887,8 @@ describe('Calendar Tests', () => {
 
       expect(result.eventId).toBe(event.eventId);
       expect(result.title).toBe('Updated Event Title');
-      expect(result.requiredMembers).toHaveLength(1);
-      expect(result.requiredMembers[0].userId).toBe(newMember.userId);
+      expect(result.requiredMembers).toHaveLength(2);
+      expect(result.requiredMembers[1].userId).toBe(newMember.userId);
       expect(result.optionalMembers).toHaveLength(1);
       expect(result.optionalMembers[0].userId).toBe(adminUser.userId);
       expect(result.documents).toEqual([]);
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/pages/CalendarPage/Components/EventAvailabilityPage.tsx b/src/frontend/src/pages/CalendarPage/Components/EventAvailabilityPage.tsx
index c0e133b704..35daeb1ff7 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/pages/CalendarPage/Components/EventAvailabilityPage.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/pages/CalendarPage/Components/EventAvailabilityPage.tsx
@@ -334,12 +334,17 @@ export const EventAvailabilityPage: React.FC = () => {
                 {currentAvailableUsers.length > 0 ? (
                   reorderByConfirmation(currentAvailableUsers).map((user) => {
                     const isConfirmed = event.confirmedMembers.some((cm) => cm.userId === user.userId);
+                    const isRequired = event.requiredMembers.some((cm) => cm.userId === user.userId);
                     const displayName = fullNamePipe(user);
                     return (
                       <Typography
                         key={user.userId}
                         variant="body2"
-                        sx={{ py: 0.25, color: isConfirmed ? 'inherit' : '#ef4345' }}
+                        sx={{
+                          py: 0.25,
+                          color: isConfirmed ? 'inherit' : '#ef4345',
+                          textDecoration: isRequired ? 'underline' : 'none'
+                        }}
                       >
                         {displayName}
                       </Typography>
@@ -361,12 +366,17 @@ export const EventAvailabilityPage: React.FC = () => {
                 {currentUnavailableUsers.length > 0 ? (
                   reorderByConfirmation(currentUnavailableUsers).map((user) => {
                     const isConfirmed = event.confirmedMembers.some((cm) => cm.userId === user.userId);
+                    const isRequired = event.requiredMembers.some((cm) => cm.userId === user.userId);
                     const displayName = fullNamePipe(user);
                     return (
                       <Typography
                         key={user.userId}
                         variant="body2"
-                        sx={{ py: 0.25, color: isConfirmed ? 'inherit' : '#ef4345' }}
+                        sx={{
+                          py: 0.25,
+                          color: isConfirmed ? 'inherit' : '#ef4345',
+                          textDecoration: isRequired ? 'underline' : 'none'
+                        }}
                       >
                         {displayName}
                       </Typography>
@@ -383,7 +393,10 @@ export const EventAvailabilityPage: React.FC = () => {
 
           {(currentAvailableUsers.length > 0 || currentUnavailableUsers.length > 0) && (
             <Typography variant="caption" color="text.secondary" sx={{ mt: 2, display: 'block' }}>
-              <span style={{ color: '#ef4345' }}>Red</span> means has not confirmed availability
+              <span style={{ color: '#ef4345' }}>Red</span> means that member has not confirmed availability
+              <Typography variant="caption" color="text.secondary" sx={{ mt: 2, display: 'block' }}>
+                <span style={{ textDecoration: 'underline' }}>Underline</span> means that member is required for the meeting
+              </Typography>
             </Typography>
           )}