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CMonster
Point Park University senior Megan Beavis spent the summer in Los Angeles working an internship at a top talent agency where she got to assist with scouting talent and experience life as a real talent agent.
For Rachel Cullari, her summer internship on the West Coast at an events planning agency allowed her to travel the country, highlighted by helping plan a premiere for the new Harry Potter film in New York City.
Also in Los Angeles for the summer, Bryanna Kiselauskas gained experience at a small public relations firm where she wrote pitches for clients and prepared guest lists for events.
While Los Angeles is known for its sunny weather, celebrities and red carpet events, it is also where three of four winners of the sport, arts and entertainment management (SAEM) funded internship spent their summers working in environments many students only dream about.
The SAEM funded internship opens up the door for SAEM students to intern, literally, anywhere they want. To be awarded the internship, applicants must write an essay about a given topic and submit a resume and e-portfolio, according to Beavis, the 2011 winner. After, a final interview process is conducted before winners are chosen.
The funded internship pays for housing, transportation and each student receives a stipend for necessities while at their internship.
Beavis went out to Los Angeles on May 27 for an internship in the dance department at the DDO Artists Agency, one of the top talent agencies in the industry.
Beavis, who will graduate in December, has the ultimate goal of being a talent agent. With her career goals in mind, she took the DDO Artists Agency internship to get experience in a different side of dance.
"I wanted to get the business side of [dance]; I already know about the performance side," Beavis said in an interview at Starbucks. Beavis has been a dancer for several years.
At DDO Artists Agency, Beavis was a typical intern. While her daily activities included updating DDO's social media accounts, various filing and calling out interviews, Beavis got to above and beyond and fill in for an agent when someone was away.
In addition to her daily activities as an intern, Beavis experienced the perks of working in such a prominent agency such as VIP passes to dance events.
Her favorite part of Los Angeles wasn't a VIP pass or filling in as an agent, however, it was being independent.
"I had to do everything on my own," Beavis said. "I grew up a lot and made a lot of connections which will help me."
Overall, Beavis's experience in Los Angeles was productive and exciting, and she even came away with a job offer from the agency for after she graduates. Beavis plans to keep her options open, but the experience allowed her to know with full conviction that she wants to be a talent agent. Rachel Cullari also found herself loving her chosen career path, but unlike Beavis, she found that Los Angeles was not an option for her.
Cullari's special interest within her SAEM major has always been event planning. With that in mind, Cullari took her funded internship award to Events In Motion, an event-planning firm that is made up of two sister companies, the Infinity Marketing Team and Designer 8, which coordinate together to facilitate large events.
During her internship, Cullari listened in on conference calls with big clients, worked with caterers for events, edited event proposals and helped plan a large convention in Philadelphia. In her free time, Cullari spent time with her sister and brother, both of whom live in Los Angeles.
Her favorite part of the summer came when she helped plan and attended the after party for the New York City premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2." Cullari oversaw the set-up for the after party and making sure things were up to par during the event.
A long time "Harry Potter" fan, Cullari could not explain the experience in words.
"I can't even talk about it," Cullari said. "It was very crazy, but so amazing and I would do it again."
Cullari learned a lot about client treatment, the event planning industry and adjusting to intimidating environments while she was in Los Angeles, and her experience was one that benefitted her immensely.
"I never worked somewhere that intense before," she said. "I feel confident now that I can be thrown into situations and survive."
While in Los Angeles, Cullari realized that when she graduates in May she wants to stay on the east coast. She also learned that she wanted to work for a smaller company that did more events.
Bryanna Kiselauskas, who spent eight weeks interning in Los Angeles this summer, had a different experience than Cullari andBeavis. Kiselauskas worked in a small public relations firm called The Narrative Group, where she did more hands-on activities.
"They really trusted me with the things they gave me to do," Kiselauskas said.
Along with typical intern duties such as making copies and getting coffees, Kiselauskas got to review press clippings and call contacts for possible outreach. She even met an actor from the television series "90210."
Kiselauskas also lived with roommates on the University of California Los Angeles campus and experienced the west coast culture. She spent time at the beach, went horseback riding and went to the movie premiere of "The Change-Up."At The Narrative Group, Kiselauskas learned about public relations on her feet.
Kiselauskas said it was tough knowing the priority of what to get done first, and a lot of the time many things were due at the same time.
"I learned that time management is really important; time really is money," she said.
Kiselauskas left Los Angeles with the intention of going back in a few years to work again. She definitely wants to do event planning, and she felt that the internship seemed to complete her years as a college student.
"Point Park has been a really good fit for me," she said. "This internship was the last piece of the puzzle to fulfill my college experience."
Beavis, Cullari and Kiselauskas all have a few things in common: they spent their summers in a productive environment in Los Angeles, they learned about their career paths, and they took chances on their own out on the west coast. Most importantly, they all took an opportunity and learned about their careers and themselves.
"I learned that you can't let people step on you, especially in my business," said Beavis in reflection of her experience. "I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. Hard work definitely pays off in the end."
Photo: Megan Beavis at her workspace at DDO Artist Agency. Photo courtesy of Megan Beavis.
Published: Monday, September 12, 2011
Updated: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 16:09
Posted in: Point Park University,The Globe
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