News
UB to hold arts, entertainment
and media symposium in NYC
UB will hold its second annual Coast to Coast Symposium on Arts, Entertainment and Media (UBC2C NYC) next weekend in New York City.
The symposium, being held July 23-25 in the Macaulay Honors College at CUNY and the Faculty House at Columbia University, will provide participants with real-world opportunities to network and explore potential careers in the arts, entertainment and media industries. The symposium, which is open to the public, is designed for UB students and alumni, students from New York City-area colleges and universities, and others who aspire to be the next generation of industry leaders. To date, there are more than 165 registrants.
Abbe Raven, BA ’74, president and CEO of A&E Television Networks (AETN), will be the keynote speaker; Alan Zweibel, BA ’72, Emmy Award-winning writer/producer/playwright and SUNY honorary degree recipient, will host the event.
Co-chairs of the event are Linda Gelman, BA ’72, producer, Chicago City Limits, and Georgiana Pickett, BA ’94.
Zweibel, who began his career as part of the original “Saturday Night Live” writing team, also will be one of several industry veterans leading workshops during the UBC2C NYC symposium.
In addition to Zweibel, scheduled speakers include Gelman, BA ’72, Ken Tabachnick, BA ’77, dean of the School of the Arts at SUNY Purchase; actor Peter Riegert, BA ’68; and Paul Zuckerman, BA ’72, director, writer, executive producer, Chicago City Limits.
UB faculty members Stephen M. Henderson, professor of theatre and dance and Tony-nominated actor; Jeanne Palmer-Fornarola, clinical assistant professor of dance; and Saul Elkin, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in the Department of Theatre and Dance, also will be among the speakers, who will lead sessions on arts management, directing, comedy writing for all genres, entertainment news media, acting, entertainment law, new media and independent film production and marketing.
A complete list of participants is on the event website.
“We have been busy at UB making higher education accessible to more students,” says UB President John B. Simpson. “UB Coast to Coast is one of many efforts that help to ensure that their education continues long after our students leave campus.”
Other highlights of the symposium will include “Day in the Life,” behind-the-scenes visits to companies and organizations in the arts, entertainment and media industries in the area, among them A&E Television Network, The New York Times, United Nations, Silvercup Studio, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Bloomberg News.
A “Sunday Morning Mentoring Madness” networking event will give UB students the opportunity to meet one-on-one with industry leaders. Forty-two mentors have signed up.
There also will be auditions for dancers.
The first UBC2C symposium was held last year in Hollywood. By all accounts, it was a resounding success, McCombe says. Participants included 235 UB alumni and 39 students who attended on scholarships provided by donors. Forty-five industry leaders led nine workshops and participated in the “Sunday Morning Mentoring Madness.”
For more information, click here. Sponsors include Bergamot Station, Canoe Ventures, Community Preservation Corp., Eileen Silvers, Macaulay Honors College at CUNY, Patrick Kennedy and VarietyMediaCareers.com.
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