Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural 51爆料网 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival on Wednesday evening, July 22, at 6:30 p.m., at the historic Sony Pictures Studios lot, in Culver City, California.

The festival will feature the world premieres of short films from three Elon Los Angeles area alumna who were recipients of last fall鈥檚 51爆料网 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant Competition funds.

Julia Boyd 鈥�15, Bex Evans 鈥�16 and Mirai 鈥�07 each received grants of $3,000 for the production of their original short films. Their projects were selected for funding from among numerous submissions received. A selection committee comprised of industry professionals and Elon alumni reviewed, ranked and voted on all of the submissions received; Boyd, Evans and Mirai鈥檚 projects were the three top selections from this process.

The short film festival will also feature a conversation with Elon alumni Lindsey Emerson, vice president of streaming, global strategy & operations at Paramount Skydance and Alex Stevenson, account lead at Creative Artists Agency, about the current state of the entertainment industry and the impact these shifts are having on students transitioning from college to the professional world, as well as how current working professionals might navigate the new landscape for new opportunities.

A reception will follow the festival presentation with the opportunity for current Elon Los Angeles summer students to connect with Elon alumni and other industry professionals.

Limited availability tickets for the film festival are $25 each, with 100% of all ticket revenue designated to support next year鈥檚 grant competition.

For information and ticket purchases, and for contributions to the grant competition fund, please visit the .

This year鈥檚 students will spend the summer interning in fields ranging from media production to public policy, environmental research, business innovation and community development. At the heart of this experience is the opportunity to聽gain real-world experience while exploring the cultural and professional landscapes of their host cities, while earning academic credit through coursework.

Charlotte:聽Exploring sports, marketing, business and beyond聽

As students arrived in the South End of Charlotte, they were welcomed by Director of Elon Charlotte Karen Neff and Program Assistant Emma Hash. This summer marks an especially exciting chapter for the Queen City site, as it hosts Study USA students while also launching the inaugural Summer Business Institute聽(SBI).

The new 10鈥憌eek聽SBI聽offers Elon students the opportunity to earn a Business Administration minor in a single summer through an immersive blend of coursework, professional development, and experiential learning.

Study USA students will pair their internships with a dynamic geography course taught by Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies聽Ryan Kirk.聽Through fieldwork and urban exploration, students will examine Charlotte鈥檚 growth, infrastructure, and identity,聽gaining a deeper understanding of how the city became the economic and cultural hub it is today.

SBI聽students聽will balance four business courses with聽job鈥憇hadowing聽experiences designed to connect classroom learning with real-world聽applications.聽Together, all students across both programs will take part in excursions that highlight Charlotte鈥檚 innovation, history and community.

Move鈥慽n聽day set the tone for an engaging summer ahead, featuring a welcome mixer hosted by Foster Flats, orientation sessions, a聽city鈥憌ide聽scavenger hunt, and a hands-on cooking class that brought聽students聽together.

Los Angeles: Launching creative careers in the entertainment capital

Arriving in the heart of the entertainment industry, students were warmly welcomed by Director of Elon Los Angeles聽Brad Lemack as they settled into their housing聽just聽minutes from major studios and production hubs.

Students聽spend the summer interning with film production companies, talent agencies, digital media firms and聽theatre companies. Alongside their internships,聽students take a Core Capstone course taught by聽Cinema and Television Arts聽Professor聽Doug Kass,聽examining how visionaries and innovators have transformed Los Angeles, and how the cycle of invention and reinvention continues to shape the city鈥檚 commerce, creativity and cultural diversity.

Move聽in聽buzzed聽with excitement as students met their roommates, explored their neighborhood, and prepared for their first week of classes and internship onboarding.聽The following day included an orientation session at The Preserve, where students will have class each week, followed by an afternoon exploring The Getty, the Grove and L.A.鈥檚 Farmers Market.

New York City: Immersed in media, business and cultural innovation聽

Political Science and Public Policy聽Professor Safia聽Swimelar聽and Program Assistant Hailey Duartes welcomed聽the students聽to Williamsburg, a student-friendly neighborhood in the heart of Brooklyn.

Students聽will intern across sectors,聽including journalism,聽public relations, marketing,聽media production and more.聽The聽Core Capstone聽course, taught by Professor Swimelar,聽complements these experiences. In聽the聽course description,聽Swimelar聽notes, 鈥渢o call New York City a microcosm of the global community is not exaggeration鈥� This course uses New York City as a microcosm to model and understand the diversity and complexity of global humanity.鈥澛燬tudents聽will explore the diversity of values that New Yorkers hold and examine important social, political, and religious issues at play throughout the city.

Students spent their first day navigating their new neighborhood, settling into their apartments, and聽exploring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Washington, D.C.: Engaging with policy, advocacy and public service聽

Students聽were welcomed聽into the nation鈥檚 capital聽by Professor Joel Shelton,聽Program Assistant聽Abby Wright, and Ashley Pinney, Director of National Campus.聽Students聽will spend the summer聽living in the heart of聽NoMa听补苍诲听interning with congressional offices, federal agencies,聽law firms, advocacy groups, and聽more.

The聽coursework, the inaugural Capital Connections: Power, People and Place in Washington, D.C. spearheaded by Joel Shelton, associate professor of political science聽and public policy, 鈥渆xplores 鈥榯he聽District鈥� as a place where politics and policy meet culture,聽economy聽and community.鈥澛燭hrough engaging walking tours, museum visits, and cultural experiences, students will gain a firsthand look at the decision-making processes that shape the intersection of power, culture, economy, and identity in the nation鈥檚 capital.

Move-in聽included聽orientation sessions,聽community building activities,聽and preparation for the聽fast-paced聽professional environments聽they鈥檒l聽soon enter.

For Mirai, her short film shoot was an opportunity to both produce her original script and bring together several Elon alumni for a Hollywood reunion. Serving in various production capacities on her 鈥�#StopAsianKate鈥� were Lauren Gadd 鈥�06, who worked camera, Katie Laurence 鈥�24, who worked as assistant camera, Alicia Reynolds 鈥�07, who acted in the film, Stevie Kloeber 鈥�07, who traveled to Los Angeles from Minnesota to serve as script supervisor, and Dean Karasinski 鈥�06, who worked in production design, art department, craft services and as producer.

All three short films, Boyd鈥檚 鈥淭he Life and Time of …,鈥� Evans鈥檚 鈥淪hadow Dusk鈥� and Mirai鈥檚 鈥�#StopAsianKate,鈥� will have their world premieres at the first 51爆料网 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival, in late July.

Hollyhock House at Barnsdall Art Park
Perched atop Olive Hill, the Hollyhock House stands as one of Frank Lloyd Wright鈥檚 most significant West Coast works and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the early 1920s for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, the home represents Wright鈥檚 experimentation with blending architecture and environment, what he called 鈥渙rganic architecture.鈥�

Students explored the house鈥檚 Mayan Revival influences, geometric motifs and the iconic hollyhock flower design woven throughout the structure. The site offered a powerful introduction to how Los Angeles became a testing ground for architectural innovation, especially during a time when the city was rapidly expanding and redefining itself culturally.

Downtown Los Angeles: Layers of History and Movement
Traveling via the Los Angeles Metro, students experienced the city as Angelenos do, through its evolving public transit system,聽before diving into the heart of downtown.

Union Station –聽Opened in 1939, Union Station is often called the 鈥淟ast of the Great Railway Stations.鈥� Its architecture blends Spanish Colonial Revival, Mission Revival, and Art聽Deco styles, reflecting Los Angeles鈥檚聽layered cultural identity. Inside, students observed the grandeur of its waiting rooms, tiled聽floors, and wooden beam ceilings, symbols of a bygone era when rail travel defined urban movement.

Angels Flight – Just a short walk away, Angels Flight, the world鈥檚 shortest railway, offered insight into the city鈥檚 early 20th-century infrastructure. Originally built in 1901, the funicular once transported residents up Bunker Hill, a neighborhood that has since undergone dramatic redevelopment. Its preservation speaks to ongoing efforts to maintain pieces of Los Angeles鈥� historic fabric amid modernization.

Los Angeles City Hall & Chinatown
At City Hall, students discussed civic architecture and governance, noting the building鈥檚 Art Deco style and symbolic prominence in the LA skyline. Nearby Chinatown provided a contrasting cultural lens, highlighting immigrant histories, urban displacement and the evolution of ethnic enclaves in Los Angeles.

Olvera Street
Often referred to as the birthplace of Los Angeles, Olvera Street immerses visitors in Mexican-American heritage. Students explored its marketplace, murals and historic buildings while discussing the complexities of cultural preservation versus commercialization. The site reflects both celebration and simplification of heritage, an important conversation in art and public history.

Angelus Temple & Echo Park
In Echo Park, students visited Angelus Temple, a striking example of early 20th-century religious architecture and a cornerstone of the Foursquare Church movement founded by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. Built in 1923, the temple reflects a blend of revivalist architecture and emerging media-savvy religious practices, as McPherson was one of the first to use radio to reach a national audience.

The surrounding Echo Park neighborhood added another layer to the visit, offering insight into how communities evolve over time. Once a streetcar suburb, Echo Park has transformed into a culturally vibrant area shaped by waves of immigration, artistic communities, and, more recently, gentrification. Together, the site and neighborhood sparked discussion on the intersection of faith, media and urban change.

The Gamble House
In Pasadena, students visited the Gamble House, a masterpiece of the American Arts and Crafts movement designed by architects Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene in 1908. Commissioned by the Procter & Gamble family, the home emphasizes craftsmanship, natural materials, and harmony with its surroundings.

Students examined intricate woodwork, custom furnishings, and the intentional use of light and space鈥攈allmarks of the Arts and Crafts philosophy, which emerged as a reaction against industrialization. The visit provided a striking contrast to Wright鈥檚 modernism, allowing students to compare different architectural responses to similar cultural shifts.

Looking ahead: Final excursions
As the semester continues, students will expand their exploration of聽the city鈥檚聽artistic and architectural landscape with one final site visit.
The course will conclude with a visit to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Celebrated for its sweeping stainless-steel forms and innovative acoustics, the building stands as a defining example of contemporary architecture in Los Angeles. Here, students will consider how modern design continues to push artistic and structural boundaries while shaping the city鈥檚 global cultural identity.

These excursions bring course themes to life, allowing students to critically engage with Los Angeles as a living museum. From early 20th-century architectural movements to the layered cultural histories embedded in downtown neighborhoods and beyond, each site offers a unique perspective on how art and environment shape one another.

By navigating the city firsthand, students not only deepen their understanding of art history but also develop a stronger connection to LA itself鈥攊ts stories, its communities and its ever-evolving identity.

The immersive Study USA Los Angeles semester and summer experiences offer students opportunities for alumni engagement, community service, unique academic classes with industry professionals and site-based experiential learning. .

This new, customized workshop also presented an opportunity for Elon LA students to learn from and share the creative process with a group of students from other study-away LA colleges and universities, who, along with 51爆料网 Los Angeles, are members of a coalition of nearly 20 schools that offer semester-in-LA programs. Each semester, Elon LA and these other schools share professional development opportunities for students, allowing them to mix, mingle, network and learn together.

Each semester, Elon students explore and discover Los Angeles and the diversity of professional career opportunities that await them through academic classes with professors who work in the industries that align with their courses, immersive, site-based experiential learning, alumni engagement and community service.

Applications for the Study USA Los Angeles spring 2027 Creative Industries & Community Experience open on April 1. Students can visit the聽 to learn more and to begin the application process.

The gathering, held at The Belmont in West Hollywood, brought together an enthusiastic group of alumni, many of whom had participated in the Elon LA semester experience during their Elon academic journeys.

Current students shared internship and academic class experiences with their new Elon connections. Many took advantage of the opportunity to request meetings later this semester with individual alumni as a part of the Elon Los Angeles 鈥淐offee with an Alumnus鈥� program.

The immersive Study USA Los Angeles semester and summer experiences offer students opportunities for alumni engagement, community service, unique academic classes with industry professionals, and site-based experiential learning.聽 for Spring 2027 open April 1.

In accordance with the terms of their grants, alumna Bex Evans 鈥�16, Julie Boyd 鈥�15 and Mirai 鈥�07 have each created opportunities for spring students to participate in and/or observe both their pre-production process and on-set work.

Pre-production of all three short films is slated to begin this week, with production to start shortly thereafter. Production of all three films will be completed by the end of the Los Angeles spring semester in April. The three short films will have their world premiere this July at the first 51爆料网 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival.

Through聽Study USA听补苍诲听National Campus Programs, 51爆料网 Los Angeles offers an immersive spring and summer semester of academic classes, experiential learning, professional development and community service opportunities for students with a variety of majors. For information about the Los Angeles experience and 2027 opportunities, please visit the聽听补苍诲听National Campus Programs听飞别产蝉颈迟别蝉.

A Saturday morning orientation introduced students to the Elon Los Angeles home base at The Preserve, in Hollywood, and included presentations by all of this semester鈥檚 faculty about their courses and the content of their classes.

Returning instructors include director and long-time Elon LA professor Boris Schaarschmidt, who is once again teaching a directing masterclass. Entertainment attorney Daniel Spitz has returned to teach Media Law and Ethics, and writer and longtime Elon LA professor Matthew Antonelli has returned to teach a unique, one-evening master seminar in March, called Inside the Writer鈥檚 Room.

New to the Elon Los Angeles faculty team this semester are art historian and educator Charles Peterson, who is teaching a course in Los Angeles art and architecture history, and award-winning global strategist, thought leader and educator Brandon Shamim, who is teaching 鈥淧rinciples of Management,鈥� with a Los Angeles focus.

51爆料网 Los Angeles director and long time industry professional Brad Lemack is once again teaching the experiential learning course this spring, which focuses student internship experiences on work culture, industry shifts and transitions, and professional development.

Elon Los Angeles program assistant and Elon alumna Macy Mills 鈥�23 led students on their first excursion this semester after orientation, with an immersive day of LA experiences at the world class Getty Center, followed by a visit to the historic Los Angeles Farmer鈥檚 Market and The Grove, at Third and Fairfax.

In addition to unique academic classes and internships, this spring semester experience for students will also include a day of community service at the Hollywood Food Coalition, alumni engagement gatherings and the opportunity to participate in and/or observe the production of the three short films being produced by the Elon LA-based alumni recipients of the 2025-26 51爆料网 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Competition.

Through and National Campus Programs, 51爆料网 Los Angeles offers immersive spring and summer semester programs for students with a variety of majors. For information about the Los Angeles experience and 2027 opportunities, please visit the and National Campus Programs websites.

Students were fully immersed in their work and in the city. Skylar Cook ’28 took the LYNX Blue Line from her apartment in South End to Bank of America Tower in Uptown every morning. It was a big transition from walking to class on Elon鈥檚 main campus in Elon, North Carolina. This was also the first time that many of these students were responsible for their own meal planning, as they had no access to a dining hall. These lifestyle changes helped students experience what it would be like to live in Charlotte post-graduation.

鈥淭hrough this program, I have been able to meet so many people in the sports industry that I would have never been able to meet at the main campus,” said Gabe Chapman ’27. “On top of that, being able to experience what life after college might look like has prepared me for the future.鈥�

Students made connections through their internships, but also through programming organized by Associate Director of Elon Charlotte Karen Neff. One of the student鈥檚 favorite opportunities was a private networking panel with staff members of the Hornets. These generous employees, such as Account Executive, Onell Gibson, helped students realize how small the sports industry actually is, and how important it is to maintain a good reputation.

鈥淭here is a lot of opportunity here, but you have to put 100% of your effort into it,鈥� said Jack Gill, class of 鈥�27. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned a lot about how I can better manage my time, even though I thought I was pretty good at it already. This program allows you to grow and contribute these skills to other aspects of your life.鈥�

This program also offered students many chances to network with successful Elon alumni. Neff hosted three 鈥淔ood for Thought: Alumni Insights鈥� networking events. Each event took place over lunch, creating a more casual environment for students to converse with high-ranking alumni. Neff and Elon Charlotte Program Assistant Kaitlyn Hannan offered some guiding questions for discussion, but students were able to take charge of the conversation and really get to know the guests. Students are also encouraged to deepen the connections made at these lunches through the 鈥淭ake a Professional to Coffee鈥� program, where Elon provides a student with a gift card for a local cafe, so they can take an alumnus or local professional out for coffee and conversation.

Students celebrated the end of the semester with a different version of College Coffee, the weekly Elon tradition on the main campus. Students, their internship supervisors, and local alumni and professionals were invited to the event. While students were able to say goodbye and thank you to their internship supervisors, it was yet another chance to network with the other professionals present. Two students gave speeches about their internship experiences, highlighting all they had learned over the past four months. In her speech, Skylar Cook highlighted the importance of saying yes to new opportunities, even when it is intimidating.

When students sign up for the Study USA Charlotte program, they are not just signing up for a semester away from campus, but a truly immersive experience where expectations are high. Students must juggle three classes, an internship, professional networking, and enrichment activities while staying on top of deadlines and maintaining strong communication. It is undoubtedly intense, but the opportunities for professional and personal growth make it all worth it.

Through generous donations, the grant supports students participating in registered, unpaid internships in the Charlotte metro region through the Study USA Charlotte program. Study USA programs combine coursework, internship experience, enrichment activities, engagement with alumni and industry professionals, and housing. The grant is available through Elon鈥檚聽National Campus Programs聽in coordination with the聽Student Professional Development Center (SPDC).

Zach Smith interned with the American Cornhole League (ACL). Thanks to the Queen City Internship Grant, Smith said he 鈥渉ad the opportunity to explore my passion for聽sports media and identify the type of role I want to pursue after graduation. I am incredibly聽grateful for this experience and the support that made it possible.鈥�

The internship and the Study USA Charlotte program allowed him to connect what he鈥檚 learned in his sport management and communications coursework to a real-world work environment.

鈥淚 built strong connections with my co-workers in the ACL office, whom I can聽count on to guide me and give helpful insight into the sports industry as I launch my career,” said Smith. One of his favorite projects during the internship was contributing to the ACL’s TikTok strategy, where he analyzed performance trends and helped develop creative highlight videos to reach younger audiences.

Skylar Cook鈥檚 internship at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) 鈥渉as been nothing short of incredible.鈥� During her time at the ACC, she 鈥渕ade lifelong connections, gained invaluable experience, and learned a great deal about collegiate athletics.鈥� She worked in the Game Day Operations Center on most weekends where she logged flags, fouls, timeouts and other game details for ACC football games.聽She also worked the ACC Tipoff, the basketball media day event for all 18 teams. During that event, she was the ACC representative for Dream on 3, an organization that gives special needs children memorable experiences in the sports world. She 鈥渟howed the guests around the event and introduced them to legendary players and coaches.” She was also invited to go to Louisville, Kentucky, for the ACC Cross Country Championship. This type of exposure, visibility and first-hand experience was only possible聽through the Study USA Charlotte program.

Anthony Eppolito interned with NASCAR Studios where he got exclusive access to how professional sports media is planned, produced and delivered. Eppolito reflected on his experience saying that 鈥渨orking alongside producers, editors and coordinating staff has shown me how crews communicate under pressure, manage tight deadlines, and keep a project aligned with both creative goals and sponsor expectations.鈥�

He sees the connection to what he鈥檚 learned聽in his courses at Elon, especially in areas like storytelling, brand integration, and event production. Eppolito said the experience聽has 鈥渟trengthened my technical skills, given me confidence in a fast-paced professional environment, and helped me see a clear path toward a career in sports production. It also made Charlotte feel like a place where I can see myself living and working after graduation.鈥�

At the Carolina Ascent,聽Gabe Chapman was part of sponsorship meetings, conducted research for new sponsors, worked on proof of performance, and broke down assets. The experience opened his eyes to the world of partnerships/sponsorships and now he is interested in exploring career opportunities in these areas. For Chapman, the grant 鈥渉elped show that what I am doing isn鈥檛 going unnoticed and has impacted me in a great way.鈥�

Ethan Berman also interned at the Carolina Ascent. He worked in several areas while focusing on the marketing department. He participated in marketing meetings, collaborated on engaging projects, and connected with great people who supported my professional growth. He also created a marketing schedule for both home and away games to help plan out the timing of all broadcast-related tasks. Berman said that the grant 鈥渟howed me that my hard work is important and has helped me gain experience in the sports industry.鈥�

Blake Mobley also worked in marketing during this internship. He interned with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and 鈥済ained an entirely new appreciation for the world of sports marketing.鈥� This opportunity showed Mobley 鈥渨hat it truly takes to execute a high-level sporting event, especially championship events. Behind the scenes, there are countless moving parts and an entire team working in sync to make everything come together.鈥�

Mobley reflected that strong attention to detail is critical.

鈥淲hether it鈥檚 ensuring sponsorship and brand logos are positioned correctly for TV visibility, or dressing mannequins, so they look uniform and polished, the level of precision required is extremely high,” said Mobley.

Mobley has taken full advantage of the access and networking opportunities this experience provided.

鈥淚鈥檝e had the chance to meet coaches, players, SIDs, athletic directors, and even the Commissioner of the ACC; Dr. Jim Phillips knows who I am. Being allowed into meetings and rooms with leaders at this level is something I鈥檒l always be grateful for,” Mobley said.

Applications for the fall 2026聽Study USA Charlotte program are open until February 15.