Graduate school was never part of the plan for Kay Cui ’24.
She did well in classes like math, history, and English, but she didn’t want to study those subjects in depth. Instead, she preferred immersing herself in the world of entertainment and spent much of her childhood playing piano, flute, oboe, and cello.
Her plan was to earn a BA in Communications from Northwestern University and then start working. (more…)
Elementary-school performances of established works on piano and in theater gave Samantha Westlake-Hart ’25 her first exposure to creative arts. Just a few years later, in high school, she realized she enjoyed behind-the-stage experiences just as much as being in the spotlight. (more…)
Dubbed the Hollywood of the South, Atlanta has a thriving arts and music scene. As James Young ’24 grew up there, he was surrounded by opportunities to participate in theater, music, and film.
His mentor, Cheryl Cardwell, taught him voice and piano. As she got to know his talents, she encouraged him to pursue acting, too. (more…)
Though her interest in entertainment began as a young child on the amateur stages of Los Angeles, it didn’t take long for Evan Pearl ’21 to start wondering: What goes on behind the camera—and behind the curtain?
As she prepared for college, Pearl knew she wanted to work in entertainment, but she didn’t know what that might look like, or what opportunities existed. (more…)
At the intersection of culture and creativity is where Peri Warren ’22 likes to spend most of her time.
Earning a degree in American Studies with a focus on Black Studies from Occidental College in 2019, she appreciated the interdisciplinary and intellectual experience of getting to explore topics like U.S. civilization and cultural studies all within one program. (more…)
Roberta Jafet ’23 says her enthusiasm for the arts began as a child in São Paulo, Brazil. She was involved in every arts-related activity possible, from theater to choir. When it came time for undergraduate school, she pondered a musical theater career but went a different direction, studying architecture and urban design at Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado instead. (more…)
 Jonathan Kwock ’23 grew up with some of the Midwest’s best regional musical houses in his own backyard. Surrounded by theater and the arts, he spent time at notable venues like STAGES St. Louis and The Muny, even performing with Muny Teens. When it was time to search for a college program, he chose Northwestern’s BS in Theatre with a Certificate in Musical Theatre. “Instead of being a conservatory, it was a well-rounded experience that lets you choose your path in terms of what you want to specialize in,” he explains. |
Jasmine Roberson ’23 grew up in the world of performing arts, dedicating 14 years to studying dance, including tap and ballet. What she enjoyed most about the experience wasn’t necessarily the performance, but the sisterhood that came along with dancing beside other girls her age and getting to learn from Black instructors. (more…)
by Priyanshi Katare
Lisa Trifone has been a part of the film industry for nearly two decades now. Throughout her career she has worked with the film industry in several different capacities, but her journey actually started off as a communication major.
“ I thought maybe I’d work in a local newsroom somewhere or something along those lines. It wasn’t until a few years after college that I attended a film festival that I realized that this is the thing I wanted to do,” she explained.
The film festival opened a realm of possibilities and helped her get her first job in the industry with Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis. While in retrospect Trifone thinks her job title would’ve probably been marketing manager, she started her work at a time when digital marketing was just taking off. (more…)
By Priyanshi Katare
Leading global talent and entertainment company UTA represents many of the most acclaimed figures across film, television, news, music, sports, speakers, theater, fine art, literature, video games, podcasts and other social and digital content. A passionate advocate for artists, creators and innovators, the company also is recognized in the areas of film finance and packaging, branding, licensing and endorsements.
Mary Pender currently works as an agent in the Media Rights department.
“I work to identify voices that I think are going to be influential in the book space or as journalists, as podcasters or even someone who has an interesting life story which might be an interesting source material for a film or TV,” Pender explained. (more…)
