Every year, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) holds its annual Media and Entertainment Summit to bring together attendees and distinguished media and entertainment professionals for four days full of learning and professional development. From November 14 to 17, 2019, an FSU School of Communication student traveled to the conference in Hollywood, California, to explore opportunities in his field of interest.
Christopher Frentzel, a current student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Digital Media Production, was selected to attend the conference and said it was a phenomenal experience. “I learned so many things about the entertainment industry in general, as well as hearing how these professionals overcame obstacles as the only Latinx/Hispanic person or the only woman in certain spaces,” Christopher says. “Not only were we able to hear them talk, but we were able to network with them as well.”
This experience was a turning-point in Christopher’s career, empowering him as a Hispanic/Latinx individual. “The most critical takeaway from all of this was that every single person at this conference (professionals, students, and staff) was Hispanic/Latinx of some degree,” Christopher adds. This fits with the overall mission for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, whose goal is to “empower Latino families with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing scholarships and support services to as many exceptional Hispanic American students as possible.”
The conference prepares attendees for their prospective futures through team-building exercises, various workshops, and keynote speakers from companies like Disney and Warner Media. Attendees are given the unique experience to interact with professionals ranging from talent acquisition specialists, recruiters, directors of business planning and strategy, VPs of diversity and inclusion, writers, business admins, and film directors. A career fair was held on the last day of the conference that consisted of mock interviews, resume cafe’s, LinkedIn reviews, and headshots. Christopher was able to sit with Ramon Escobar, VP of Talent Recruitment and Development at CNN Worldwide, for a mock interview. According to Christopher, they “shared a very productive conversation and valuable connection, and even discussed the possibility of a future internship.” This proves how valuable networking experiences like this can be.
The Media and Entertainment Summit profoundly impacts the lives of all its attendees. Students walk out of this conference with long-lasting connections and a new view of the industry. Even a few months later, Christopher still engages with the other attendees through LinkedIn and social media. “I’ll never forget this conference, and I’m incredibly grateful for HSF; I will definitely give back to this fantastic organization once I advance in my career, and would love to help future Hispanic leaders grow in the future.”
