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Business students explore music-tech careers at NYC-based conference

December 07, 2017

Contact: Michael Tullier, APR
Office of Communications, Public 
Relations and Marketing

Lasenberry and Wilson

Two upperclassmen from Ƶ’s Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science took on the “Big Apple” in early November as part of a conference designed to support college students’ career interests in technology, media and entertainment.

Junior Melody Nicole Wilson of Birmingham and senior Dajah Lasenberry of St. Charles, Missouri, were among the 90 student participants who represented HBCUs nationally at The Opening Act HBCU conference. The second-annual conference — hosted from Nov. 2-4, 2017, by New York-based 2020 Shift and presented by the music-, podcast- and video-streaming company Spotify — gathered sophomores, juniors and seniors with an interest in careers in the tech and media industries.

Throughout the conference, students heard from executives and thought leaders within these industries, learned first-hand what the career paths for these fields look like, and gained valuable insight into how to achieve their career goals. They also toured offices within Spotify, Buzzfeed, NBC Universal, Nickelodeon, and other major entertainment firms and learned about these companies’ career offerings.

Wilson, who is majoring in sales and marketing, aspires to serve in a corporate public relations setting or as an artist/media relations specialist for an entertainment firm. She noted the conference was a perfect fit with her career goals.

“I enjoyed attending the conference because it confirmed my interest to work in media and entertainment,” Wilson said. “Since Tuskegee is known primarily for its STEM programs, I hope this opportunity encourages others who are interested in the arts to attend Tuskegee, and encourages current students to seek opportunities like this because you never know who you’ll meet.”

Much of Wilson’s current campus involvement centers on music, entertainment and communications. In addition to her academic studies, Wilson serves as president of the Ƶ Golden Voices Concert Choir, secretary/officer manager for the University Ambassador program, social director for the College Democrats, communications chair for Next Step Up, a peer mentor for the College of Business and Information Science’s Peer Mentor mentoring program, and membership director for Tuskegee’s chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society.

Lasenberry, a computer science major, noted the conference affirmed her career goals and choice of major.

“The Opening Act conference really inspired me to pursue a career that really interests me,” Lasenberry said. “I would like to be an animator and use my computer skills to help with that, and attending the conference gave me hope that I could achieve this goal and to be successful.”

She currently serves as a senator for Tuskegee’s Association for Computing Machinery and is a member of both the National Society of Black Engineers and National Society of Leadership and Success.

For more information about the conference, visit .

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