Lights, Camera, Action!

While many students unplugged for a week, 13 juniors and seniors spent their spring break on a tour of the entertainment world—guided by alumni in the industry.

The inaugural Stags in L.A. immersion trip—a cross-country extension of the Stags in the City program—took off on a Los Angeles-bound flight from New York, accompanied by John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences Dean Richard Greenwald, PhD, Associate Professor Patrick Brooks, director of the Film, Television, and Media Arts program, and Kim Nickolenko, Fairfield Meditz’s director of career engagement.

The Stags in L.A. experience opened doors for students at Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Company, Paramount, Netflix, and Paradigm Talent Agency. They also connected with professionals at the creative collective MakeMake and the post-production Picture Shop—establishing connections that could set the stage for the opening acts of their careers.

The trip included an academic visit to the University of California, Los Angeles School of Theater, Film, and Television, and a networking event hosted by John Mancini ’86 at his law firm, Mayer Brown. Mancini has been at the forefront of shaping intellectual property law with a focus on new media, the internet, and new technologies.

For Alexa Sewell ’26, a film, television, and media arts major with a minor in communication, the chance to tour Warner Bros. Studio was a highlight of the trip. Sewell, who previously interned with Warner Bros. Discovery in New York City, called the visit a dream come true.

“My experience was phenomenal,” she said. “Our days were jam-packed with meetings with the best of the best from the industry. We really got to see so much.”

The trip affirmed Sewell’s career direction, while shining a light on the spectrum of jobs available to her and the varied paths fellow Stags took to reach their current positions.

“The L.A. company visits really solidified that this is indeed the right career path for me,” she said. “It also gave me a better understanding of unconventional roles I hadn’t considered. I intend to pursue post-production after graduation, so it was cool to watch a colorist perform their job and to see how they collaborate with the rest of the team.”

When the group arrived at Warner Bros. Television, they were greeted by John Power ’96, vice president of casting. He shared advice and insights about his responsibilities at the production studio.

“I’m so happy Fairfield was able to make a trip like this available to students who have a real interest in exploring careers in the entertainment industry,” said Power, who earned his BA in communication. “Hearing how much the TV & Film department has grown since I was at Fairfield was really exciting. Experiences like this prove that the program places a real value on exposing students to what job possibilities might look like after graduation. I hope visiting a historic studio lot like Warner Bros. helped them realize that there could be a place for all of them in this business.”

The scale of the production setups was what surprised Sewell the most about Warner Bros. “They have so many buildings and sound stages dedicated to all aspects of production. It was eye-opening to think about all the different roles—and just how many people it takes to make a blockbuster film.”

At Paradigm Talent Agency, recent alumna Brooke Lathe ’25 treated students to a panel discussion with her co-workers: a literary agent, a talent agent, a literary coordinator, and the vice president of corporate communications. A former English and digital journalism major, Lathe now serves as an assistant to TV literary partners.

“I will always jump at the opportunity to share my industry experience with students, as I was fortunate enough to have so many others do the same for me,” Lathe said. “Fairfield has consistently done a fantastic job providing students with opportunities that set them up for careers after graduation—the trip to L.A. is one of many examples. It felt very full-circle to be a part of our wonderful alumni support system and, hopefully, contribute to a Stag’s future career.”

Students encountered a similar welcome at The Walt Disney Company, where Fiorela Canaj ’11, manager of product management, and several colleagues offered an inside look at careers within the company.

“As a Fairfield alum, it was really important to me to be able to share what it’s like to work at a company like Disney,” said Canaj, who majored in new media. “On our tour of the Disney lot, the students were engaged and asked great questions about the company and the broader entertainment landscape. A trip like this is invaluable because it helps students see a career path that sometimes feels out of reach. Hollywood may feel far from Fairfield, but if I can do it, so can they.”

Beyond the incredible conversations and new connections, Sewell said the trip helped to affirm her confidence in her own abilities as she prepares to enter the workforce.

“This experience took everything I’ve been learning in the classroom and directly applied it to everyday work life,” she said. “Many of the professionals use similar setups, software, and knowledge of the industry that we’ve been taught at Fairfield—that was really reassuring. It showed me that I know more than I think I do—and might one day get to the dream job I’m working toward.”

For students looking toward graduation, Stags in L.A. confirmed that Fairfield has indeed prepared them for their next stage, and that wherever their careers take them, Fairfield alumni are always ready to provide support along the way.

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