As kids, my best friend and I shared a dream: moving to Los Angeles.
We spent hours looking at apartments and neighborhoods, hoping that one day we would make it there. But as we got older and reality settled in, that dream slowly faded. Easier said than done, we told ourselves.
By the time we started college, Los Angeles felt like a different world. But two years later, I went anyway.
At the beginning of May, I was one of 11 College of Communication Arts and Sciences students who spent a week in Los Angeles getting a firsthand look at some of the country’s most influential media and marketing companies and what careers in those industries can look like.
Over the course of the week, our group visited six companies specializing in advertising, marketing and media: Snap Inc., MOCEAN, Gonna Studios, Deutsch, Allied Global Marketing and Amazon Studios.
We also heard from two MSU alumni: Phillip Barbb, a two-time Emmy-nominated freelance producer whose credits include “Dancing with the Stars” and “Love Island USA,” and Joe Zenas, former CEO of TAIT, the live-experiences production company behind Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour and Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show.
Barbb discussed the value of freelance careers and spoke about the realities of relocating to Los Angeles. For the first time in years, moving there no longer felt impossible.
During the week, our group also connected with more than 20 MSU alumni at a networking event, including Vanessa Shay, senior vice president of LA28.
However, it was Kelley Carter, a senior entertainment and pop culture reporter for ESPN, who left the greatest impact on me. Seeing a Black woman succeeding in the same industry I hope to enter made that future feel achievable for the first time.
Across every company visit and conversation with MSU alumni, the same lessons kept surfacing.
Networking matters more than students realize, and the alumni showed us that firsthand. They did not just share their stories — they actively connected us with advice, resources and opportunities. I made meaningful connections not only with professionals, but with my classmates as well.
But connections have to be earned. One cold email is rarely enough. Reaching out repeatedly may feel excessive, but to professionals, it demonstrates passion and persistence.
In an industry that is smaller than it seems, reputation travels quickly. The way you work and treat people can either open doors or close them.
More than anything, this trip taught me that I do have a place in this industry.
For a long time, I doubted myself and questioned whether I had a real chance in such a competitive field. Is my work good enough? Do I have the skills to succeed? Am I charismatic enough?
Talking with Carter, learning about her journey and seeing how closely it reflected what I hope to do gave me proof that success in this industry is possible. Not just for me, but for others as well. Seek out people who look like you and who have walked a similar path. Their stories remind us that the industry needs people like you and me: hardworking, ambitious Spartans.
As the trip came to a close, I thought back to the little girl who was convinced that one day she and her best friend would make it to Los Angeles. I thought that dream was gone. Instead, I just needed a reminder that it was still possible.
By Ra’Moni Caldwell