Go behind the scenes of the entertainment industry with the Center for Entertainment and Hospitality Management’s Educate and Elevate conference.

The entertainment and hospitality industries have been hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic, but the field is also well-positioned for a strong rebound in a post-pandemic world, and there are many opportunities for Cal State Fullerton students and alumni, particularly in entertainment- and tourism-rich Southern California.

To give Titans an inside look at what future career paths could look like in this field, the Cal State Fullerton Center for Entertainment and Hospitality Management is hosting Educate and Elevate 2020, a July 11 virtual conference that will bring students and professionals together to listen to industry insiders and inspirational speakers discussing varying sectors in the field, such as music, film, hospitality, gaming and animation.

There will also be a live-streamed performance at the conclusion of the conference, providing an opportunity to hear and see some of the latest talent.

A Full Day of Exploring the Entertainment Industry of 2020

The conference begins at 10:30 a.m. with a mental-health discussion on meditation and mindfulness with Janis Cravens, a Chopra Center-certified meditation and yoga instructor and a master practitioner of hypnosis and mental and emotional release.

Events throughout the day include keynote addresses by Clark Jones, vice president of Disneyland Resort Finance, Revenue Planning and Special Events; Claire Hoffman and David Adler of BizBash, an industry news service for event and meeting professionals; virtual event planner Tess Vismale; and illustrator and podcaster Andy J. Pizza.

Breakout sessions between the keynote addresses, tailored to individual career paths such as events and hospitality, music and entertainment, and animation, will focus on career resources.

Alumnus Mark Deppe ’15 (MBA), director at UCI eSports, will lead a talk about the gaming and eSports business, and alumnus Justin Stirling ’08 (finance), manager of production finance at Netflix, will talk about the business of animation.

The final performance kicks off at 4:15 p.m.

“This event is planned and managed 100% by the students with assistance from EHM advisory board member and CSUF communications grad Pawntra Shadab,” says Amani Roberts, associate director of the Center for Entertainment and Hospitality Management and founder of Amani Experience DJ firm. “Presenting companies include HBO, Disney, Pandora, BizBash, Warner Records and Live Nation.”

Register Today

Educate and Elevate may be just a few days away, but it’s not too late to reserve your space. Registration is $12 for students and $20 for industry professionals.

For more information, reach out to Roberts at [email protected].