Entertainment Diversity Career Conference, CHEC Career Expo to Provide Students with Wealth of Information at Claflin University

Representatives from Disney, ABC, CBS, NBC Universal, CW and other entertainment giants will be at Claflin University on Wednesday, February 18, 2015, for an Entertainment Diversity Career Conference.

The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. in the W.V. Middleton Fine Arts Center on campus. It will open with a workshop, “Navigating a Career in the Entertainment Industry,” led by Stacy Milner, founder of the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program. This workshop will provide a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to land a job in and succeed at a career in the entertainment industry.

Dr. Donna Gough, chair of Claflin’s Department of Mass Communications, was named a fellow of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences last year, and said the honor has allowed her to learn the latest information in the television industry – information that can be passed on to her students.

“Faculty were able to share ideas and network with industry leaders about where the industry is heading, and what internship and employment opportunities are available for our graduates,” she said. “This is an extension of that information, brought to our students and our campus so that they can share in the knowledge of what careers in the entertainment industry look like.”

The workshop will be followed by an Industry Expert Panel Discussion/Recruitment Session featuring experts from such divisions as finance, marketing, digital media, animation, legal, human resources, operations, production, engineering, technology, consumer products, TV research, distribution and sales sharing advice and how they got their start in the entertainment industry. Students will learn about career opportunities they may never have considered as representatives from such entertainment companies as Disney, ABC, CBS, NBC Universal, CW, the Golf Channel, Turner and Leveraging UP share their expertise with the audience.

Students from all majors are welcome. Professional attire is preferred, and a polished resume is required to participate in the recruitment session following the panel discussion. There, students will have the opportunity to interact with entertainment industry representatives and seek resume advice, learn when to apply for internships and ask about diversity programs.

For those students not seeking a career in the entertainment industry, the CHEC – Community Higher Education Council – Career Expo will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, February 19, 2015, in Tullis Arena of the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center. This event is a collaborative effort of Claflin University, South Carolina State University and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.

Professional business attire is required, and students should bring their resumes. Participating employers include school districts, local governments, restaurants, retail, manufacturing, utilities, public service, military and more. Students are encouraged to participate to learn more about summer internships and part-time and full-time employment opportunities.

For more information, contact Tiffany Pickard in the Office of Career Development at 803-535-5333 or tpickard@claflin.edu.