The most exciting and unexpected part of Vanderbilt on Madison Avenue was being interviewed by Tim Gunn from the television show Project Runway when walking from one of the program meetings to our hotel. He was interviewing New Yorkers on the street to make a short documentary for his new book, and wanted to speak to about 4 of those in our group, including our group leader. However, the topic was not on clothes or shoes, but on mentorship, which was very appropriate for the trip. Thinking more about mentorship, it was apparent in every sense on this program, and this word very much summed up our experience visiting companies such as Viacom, NBC, Citi, etc.
Traveling to New York, a huge city very far away from Nashville, it was great to see such a strong and dynamic Vanderbilt community present. Vanderbilt Alumni were eager to give advice and answer questions, and were happy to reach out to help the current students of their alma mater. Despite the snow storm occurring at the time, the Center for Professional Development was happy to set up these opportunities for students, giving us insight in to the media and entertainment industry, and was happy to donate their spring breaks to this cause. Students on the program were able to share their previous experiences in the field and discussed internships, interviews, and companies. Although this trip was focused on the media and entertainment industry, it was eye opening to see all of the different departments within this industry, encompassing public relations, advertising, and even finance. It was exciting to see alumni that we knew from Vanderbilt thriving in a professional setting, and mirroring that to our transitions that are about to take place.
Looking back, this trip was filled with mentorship, and it made all the difference when exploring the professional world we will soon be a part of. In summary, this interview with Tim Gunn reflected the whole trip in terms of focusing on mentorship, and I am lucky to have experienced this over my Spring Break.
-Nicole Fares