Check out photos of the 2015 MEMES Summer Institutes classes and field trips
By Carolyn Gray Anderson
Anderson’s annual MEMES Summer Institutes, a six-week program of real-world projects and classes taught by seasoned industry executives, introduces undergraduates to careers in entertainment, music and sports. Eighty students enrolled in the 2015 edition; they included many UCLA students, along with participants from as far away as Sweden, France, Italy, Canada, China and Brazil — not to mention a recent Harvard graduate who wants to jump-start her career on the business side of entertainment.
The Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports has conducted the Summer Institutes since 2004. All students attend the Global Business class, taught this year by educator and thought leader Beverly Macy, host of the popular business podcast Social Media Radio and co-author of The Power of Real-Time Social Media Marketing.
Students choose one of four tracks: Blockbusters: The Business of Movies & TV; Music Industry in the Digital Age; Sports Marketing & Management; or 360° Marketing for Entertainment & Media. MEMES program manager Allison Potter said that the sports focus is the most popular — not least because it’s taught by Mark Francis, a sports marketing specialist with significant expertise in brand management.
Students are assigned a “live project” in which they learn how business is conducted in their industry and how best to position themselves for careers. Casey Maya Christensen, a UCLA junior majoring in psychology who plans to earn an entrepreneurship minor, said, “Participating in the sports track of the MEMES Summer Institutes was easily one of the best decisions I’ve made so far at UCLA. The small, decision-based classes, influential professors and speakers, and real-world projects [have made me feel] so enriched the past six weeks. I am more excited than ever to turn my passions into a living and pursue a career in sports and entertainment.”
MEMES executive director Karen Williams (B.A. ’87, MBA ’93) said, “One of the highlights of this summer was attending ESPN’s ESPY Awards, where our students saw the media, entertainment and sports sectors converge.” Other 2015 field trips included YouTube Studios, ad agency 72 and Sunny, Fresh Juice Global, CAA, Paramount and Warner Bros. studios, and Dodger Stadium. Guest speakers included Kendra Johnson, a VP at Maker Studios, UCLA Athletics director Dan Guerrero, and executives from Sony, NBC, Huffington Post and many others.
Potter said the program has grown and changed shape. “Each year, we attempt to shape even more challenging curriculum,” she said. “It used to include just film and sports tracks. Three years ago we added music in the digital age and social media. This year we developed the social media track into the 360° integrated entertainment marketing course.”
Trinity Nicole Wilson is a UCLA sociology major with a gender studies minor. But she joined the Summer Institutes on the 360° track because she plans to launch her career in marketing. “No aspect of this industry was left untouched by any professor or speaker,” she said, “which allowed me to get a multitude of diverse perspectives from those in the business.”
Karen Glass (’89), a Disney veteran, taught the film and television Blockbusters concentration. “This year’s class was a true pleasure to teach,” said Glass. “My engaged and committed group of students benefited tremendously from the class work, the field study and guest speakers like Disney Studios CFO Paul Shurgot (B.A. ’91, MBA ’97). Five student groups provided insights on specific projects for major entertainment/media companies: NBC, Universal Pictures, Legendary Entertainment, the CW Network and Walt Disney Studios.”
Warren Baker earned his B.S. in business management at Babson College in 2003 and now runs the Paris offices of alternative investment group Global Emerging Markets. Baker participated in the Institutes on the Blockbusters track. He said his experience in the Institutes was “incredible from a professional perspective” because he gained exposure to new international territory: “My group is looking to develop a pipeline of investments both in early-stage media companies and in opportunistic feature films and/or TV for the Chinese market. I have been able to hear from industry leaders about the importance of the Asia markets, supporting our global investment thesis. I am better prepared to ‘talk the talk’ and sound smart using what I've learned about the global industry to help structure deals, demonstrating more credibility and ultimately increasing my added value.”
The future appears bright for the dedicated MEMES Summer Institutes graduates — and for the program, too. Williams said that on the last day of the Institutes, a group of students was heading enthusiastically to CAA to pitch a marketing plan around a CAA client brand and she reports that the presentation went quite well. Potter, who has worked with the Summer Institutes since 2012, said, “We had 54 students three years ago, we now have 80. We hope to have 120–150 next year.”
“Even though the 2015 program has drawn to a close,” said Francis, “we can’t wait to start planning for 2016.”
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