As the panel went on, the students that went had the chance to ask the inductees some questions. These questions revolved around what they could do to get jobs in the industry and how to make connections with people that are already in the industry. The inductees that talked to the students in this panel are Micheal Cardwell, Fela Davis, Erin Eberhardt, Chris Kelley, Mark Kilborn, and Shaun McCabe.
The first concern that the inductees addressed was about making the connections. They all heavily expressed the idea of making connections with people not for a job but as a friend. When you talk to someone if they see that you are talking to them for self-gain they are not going to put the effort into helping you but if you build a legitimate connection with them by asking good questions and having a conversation them it shows that you care. Mark Kilborn stated that students should “Be as genuine as you can, meet for friends not for jobs.” Kilborn managed to get a job just because he accepted an invite to a BBQ Party. Another piece of advice that was given by Erin Eberhardt was “Don’t be afraid to nerd out.” If the people you are talking to are in the same industry, and they see you expressing your passion for the industry, that means they are just as passionate as you are about not just learning, but also working in a project for said industry.
The inductees also offered advice for people that are introverted and have a hard time making connections with others. Shaun McCabe heavily expressed the importance of doing research and asking the right questions to anyone you are trying to connect with that are working in the industry. The reason being is that asking the wrong question could lead to them believing you have no interest or just don’t care. Micheal Card also told students that the people that get hired are those who “Accept challenges with a positive attitude.” In other words, don't get upset when you get handed a complicated objective. Just do it and learn from it. Lastly, Fela Davis expressed to the students to stay in touch with Career Development because they were able to help her get ready to get hired in the industry.
Of course, everyone has their obstacles and has to deal with the cards they are dealt with, but what you do with that defines who you are. These inductees pushed forward and put their all into the work that they made. If there is anything that you should take away from these inductees, make sure that you always try your best to be connected with your peers and people overall and finally always put effort into the work that you make.
(Inductees are listed alphabetically by the last name.)
First up is Micheal Cardwell graduated from Film and Entertainment Business and is the Founder & Creative Director of Digital Brew which is a video production, animation, and design agency located in Orlando. Fela Davis graduated from Recording Arts and is a Front of House Engineer & Content Creator. She currently works with six-time Grammy winner Christian McBride as a Front of House Engineer. Erin Eberhardt was the first woman to graduate from Game Design and is the Lead Project Manager at Blizzard Entertainment. Chris Kelley graduated from Digital Media and is currently a Staff UX Designer at Google. Mark Kilborn graduated from Recording Arts and he is a Sound Designer who has worked on various projects including the Call of Duty franchise. Shaun McCabe graduated from Game Design and is currently Head of Technology at Insomniac Games.
Writer & Photographer: Angel J. Ortiz
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