In the Music Industry (MIND) program at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, faculty are not the only ones teaching.
There are also top executives from major companies with years of experience and insight. And recent Frost alumni who can outline their path from student to success in vivid detail.
They're part of the MIND guest speaker series, an informal but influential effort that further enriches a program already renowned for its music industry connections.
"Students expect to hear from a variety of voices, including those who are engaging in work in the field," says MIND program director Serona Elton, who earned a masters in the program in 1995, and an industry executive whose long, successful industry career, continued involvement, and extensive connections have helped shape her leadership of MIND. "In our case, it's a compliment because all our professors are working in the industry."
Speakers mostly fall into two categories: experienced executives; and Frost alumni who can give students a firsthand account of how to transition from college to that first job and beyond.
"Students like to hear from alumni who've been in the field five years or less," says Elton. "And many alumni are looking for a way to stay connected to the school and give back."
"You have to bring in people from the real world who are doing what our students will hopefully be doing as they develop their careers," says Guillermo Page, MIND's assistant director. "Someone who can relate to them and show them the way."
Major executives have included Monty Lipman and Avery Lipman, CEO and COO of Republic Records, home to superstars like Taylor Swift and Drake; Mary Megan, CEO of peermusic, the world's largest independent music publisher; Gerry Barad, COO of Live Nation Global Touring; and Matt Serletic (B.M. '92 and M.M.' 94), Grammy-winning producer, former chairman/CEO of Virgin Records, and now director of creative content at Google. Execs from YouTube, Spotify, and SoundExchange; multi-platinum artist Sheila E, and a team from Sony Music's Miami-based Latin division have also appeared.
The Lipman session was a favorite. "They were very down to earth," says Page. "The students were so excited to have someone of that caliber taking to them and being so relatable."
Favorite alumni speakers include Andres Sandoval (M.M.' 03), senior manager for Latin music strategic partnerships & business development at Apple; Kevin Wilson (M.M.' 93), music director at ESPN; and John Farrey (B.M.' 12), a senior label relations manager at Amazon Music.
Samantha Kopec, a junior in the MIND program, has attended the speaker series regularly since her freshman year. Most are held on Thursday evenings or Friday afternoons, sometimes followed by an informal gathering.
"It's great to hear all their perspectives in addition to our professors," says Kopec. "Each speaker brings something different. Sometimes, the way they say something really clicks."
Kopec was especially inspired by a special event co-hosted by the Miami chapter of Women in Music that brought in multiple female executives to discuss career paths, challenges, and work-life balance issues for women. She was also compelled by Sandoval, the Latin music manager at Apple. "He took a huge risk to be a leader and start this expansion program," in Latin America, Kopec says.
MIND's home in Miami, a music industry hub that's home to multiple companies and frequent national conferences and events, provides a deep and changing pool of potential speakers.
But the program's stellar reputation – last year Billboard Magazine named MIND one of the country's best music business schools for the ninth time – and extensive network of connections from faculty active in the industry and generations of successful alumni – are the biggest draw.
"People reach out to us and say, 'I hear the program is amazing; let me know if you are looking for guest speakers,'" says Elton. "The program's reputation is what draws people to want to interact with our students and connect with us."
Earlier this month, when Elton was in L.A. to attend the Grammys, she stopped at a Target to buy toothpaste. Suddenly she heard someone call her name. It was her former student Michael Pelleg (B.M.' 13), who now manages TV music for Walt Disney Television. They chatted for a bit, and Elton asked if he'd like to come talk to students. Now Pelleg is next on the series.
