CONNECTED FOR LIFE!
PHOTOS BY ILYSE GERBER
Rollins Goes Hollywood Rollins students on The Price is Right set: (l-r) Annie Hable ’06, Louis Lenglet ’06, Kristen Gunther ’06, Kelly Bylsma ’06, Yvette Kojic ’07, Ebonii Foster ’06, Laura Ramos ’09, Lauren Kennedy ’09, Conrad Winslow ’06, and Carrie Bonnell ’06
his Spring Break, instead of heading to the beach, 10 Rollins students opted to invest in their futures. Thanks to the arrangements made by Alumni Association Board of Directors member Asunta D’Urso Fleming ’81 and Rollins’ Office of Career Services, students had the opportunity to travel to L.A. to make connections in the entertainment industry and learn about “real life” in Tinsel Town. Whether in Hollywood or wherever life takes you, connections play a vital role in career success. No one understands this more than Fleming, an accomplished entertainer who went blindly into the industry thinking she could “just make it.” With a lot of hard work, she did—but she knows now the road would have been a lot easier if she had had the opportunity in college to make connections in the field and gain insight into what was really in store. Wanting to use her experience to help Rollins students aspiring to careers in entertainment, Fleming used her connections to make new ones: Working in conjunction with Jane Cordray-Brandon, director of career services, she made plans for the students to travel to L.A. to meet with actors, screenwriters, casting directors, costume designers, and producers. The students enjoyed a complete behind-the-scenes tour of CBS studios, led by The Young and the Restless star Christian LeBlanc, who brought them on the set of the show to watch a live taping. LeBlanc also arranged for them to meet with some of the younger Y&R stars, who provided insights on how they got their jobs and on their day-to-day experiences in the acting world. Students also had the opportunity to meet with Janis Hirsch ’72, co-executive producer of Will & Grace and screenwriter of sitcoms like Murphy Brown and Frasier, and John Kavanaugh ’83, a composer for Disney theme parks and motion pictures. Thanks to Hirsch, aspiring actress Deanna Russo ’02 met personally with the Will & Grace team. “I now understand the importance of networking,” said Conrad Winslow ’06. “I was blown away by the number of speakers who were genuinely interested in helping students begin careers in Los Angeles. Every one of them encouraged us to contact them— and I will. The effect of the trip for me was a removal of the magic curtain between production and consumers. Although I understand now more than ever how hard it is to be successful in the entertainment industry, I can also see that there are many pathways.” (l-r) Janis Hirsch ’72, Kelly Bylsma The L.A. trip was the third such ’06, and Asunta D’Urso Fleming ’81 networking opportunity for students sponsored by Career Services. Last year, one group of students traveled to Washington, DC to explore Capitol Hill—an experience that resulted in a job with Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL) for Amber Prange ’05—and another group went to New York City, where they met with some of Rollins’ most successful alumni representing the investment, media, fashion, and sports industries. ■
T
(l-r) Asunta D’Urso Fleming ’81 with Christian LeBlanc, star of The Young and the Restless, and a friend from her acting days.
“
There were no glimmering rhinestones and cheap illusions on this ride—every aspect of our adventure was designed to show us the true nature of the Hollywood dream machine. It takes passion. It takes work. It takes discipline.”
“
—Ebonii Foster ’06
To view more L.A. photos, visit
http://www.rollins.edu/alumni/ events/photos/
30 ROLLINS ALUMNI RECORD