CCI Hosts Media Alumni Panel

On February 14, the Center for Careers & Internships (CCI) will unveil the inaugural UpNext speakers series, a faculty-moderated career panel that brings Middlebury alumni from different industries to campus to share their work experience with students. This week’s event focuses on media and entertainment.

Jeff Sawyer, CCI Director of Employer Outreach and Development, says the series is unlike any other in that it  “brings three constituencies together, as students, faculty and employers converse about topics and common interests within a single industry.”

The panel on Friday will be moderated by Professor of English and American Literatures Timothy Billings and will feature a diverse lineup of alumni panelists, including Katherine Davis ’87, a Political Science and French major and current 60 Minutes producer; Rick Holzman ’87, a Political Science major and Executive Vice President of Programming and Strategy at Animal Planet; Richard Coolidge ’87, a Political Science/French double major, and ABC News producer; Beth Levison ’91, a Geography/Italian major and documentary filmmaker; and recent alumna, Christine Schozer ’13, an Economics major and production assistant at Peacock Productions, an NBCUniversal production company.

Although the first UpNext event centers on careers in media and entertainment, Sawyer wants Middlebury students to look beyond the common perceptions of the industry.

“The series – and Friday’s panel – is intended to build awareness in students so they have a nuanced understanding of the various components of the career paths they might pursue,” Sawyer said. “I want students to envision the breadth of jobs in the media industry: there are careers beyond the two obvious jobs of production and journalism.”

Similarly, Schozer ’13 – a production assistant for Peacock Productions in New York – notes the importance of keeping an open mind when searching for internships and eventually jobs.

“I started off as an Economics major with an interest in finance, but chose not to travel that path,” Schozer said. “I began to consider marketing and production, given that many of the jobs intertwine my organization and planning strengths. After reaching out to alumni through MiddNet, I found an internship at NBC during my junior year, which really sparked my interest in production. To me, the “UpNext” series is a great opportunity for students to realize the opportunities that exist and create interest networks within media and entertainment companies.”

Recently, Schozer has worked on variety of projects including NBC’s “The Making of the Sound of Music Live!,” and “Skywire Live!,” a Discovery Channel live event covering Nik Wallenda’s walk across the Grand Canyon on a tightrope. Gretchen Eisele ’90 was executive producer of “Skywire Live!,” which had 21 million viewers and won a 2013 Emmy for Best Live Performance.

“During The Sound of Music documentary, I got the opportunity to interact and listen to people who truly excel in their industry, such as with Neil Meron, the executive producer, David Chase, a top musical director on Broadway, Beth McCarthy Miller, a Saturday Night Live television director, and Rob Ashford, a renowned broadway director,” Schozer said.

When asked what advice she would give students interested in pursuing internships and career paths, Schozer encourages students to identify their strengths and interests. “If you don’t know what you want to do, try something that fits your skill set. If you don’t try, you don’t know.”

Susan Walker, Associate Director of Career Services at the CCI, urges students to use the UpNext series as a comfortable setting “to put themselves forward to alumni as a means of motivating the career discovery process.”

Similarly, Sawyer encourages students to question what exactly employers are looking for in order to effectively apply for and take advantage of opportunities.

Friday’s signature UpNext event will be held at 5 p.m. in Axinn 229. Students are also welcome to attend additional information sessions about working at NBC Peacock Productions and Discovery and an informal lunch – by RSVP on MOJO – with the alumni panelists on Saturday in Ross’ Fireside Lounge.

“[Future UpNext sessions will likely be] a robust cross-section of industries that touches all corners of the student body,” Sawyer said. “With a focus on industries such as social and human services, the scientific aspect of healthcare services, government, and education.”