Two weeks ago, I struck my show, “The Fantasticks,” and headed down on a 10 am train to New York City. I cam armed with a professional blazer, a stack of business cards and a carefully stashed pen just in case. I was headed to the Yale-In Hollywood conference, an annual summit for Yalies working in the entertainment industry.
Their webpage is here: http://hollywood.alumni.yale.edu/home
Even while being pretty tired from my final musical at Yale, I was really glad I made it down to the conference. I was able to listen to several Broadway producers explain how they got started, including two of the executive producers from “Fela.” I also watched a couple of previews for HBO documentaries, including one on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. I was able to talk to a lot of alums and learn a bunch about an industry I may explore in the future.
The entertainment conference is only one of several different alumni activities offered each year, depending on your interest or major. For example, I was able to take part in an eight week New Haven City Hall internship through the President’s Public Service Fellowship last summer. One stipulation of my internship was a weekly dinner with different professionals in public service or working to improve New Haven.
These dinners where I was able to converse with alumni directly afterward helped me to meet Bruce Alexander, the head of all Yale real estate development. My conversation with him made me more interested in investigating the real estate development business. I also met Thea Buxbaum, an artist involved in the New Haven community who has revitalized the Westville neighborhood into an artist community, including subsidized artist housing. She has really inspired to consider working with artist infill housing in a larger city.
The Yale-In-Hollywood and The President’s Public Service programs were both excellent ways to network with accomplished alums. I have been able to gain perspective on different occupations, as well as reaching out to these alums for job opportunities.
