Five Columbia College Chicago students took part in an entertainment marketing event at Netflix’s Los Angeles office, according to an April 13 announcement from the college. The opportunity was made possible through a partnership between Columbia and Unity Management, with the event taking place on April 9 as part of the Semester in LA program.
The event provided students with exposure to industry professionals and insight into how global media campaigns are created. Such experiences aim to help underrepresented college students connect with companies and learn about career paths within entertainment marketing.
Participants included Amaris Echenique, Jonathon Stinson, Alex Lu, Kira Cooper, and Shannon Sykes—all seniors studying Film and Television. The day began at Soho House West Hollywood, where students networked over breakfast with peers as well as representatives from Unity Management and Creative Hearts Entertainment. They then moved on to sessions at Netflix led by professionals covering strategy, creative development, media outreach, social engagement, brand partnerships, and public relations.
Professor Kevin Cooper, director of Semester in LA at Columbia College Chicago said: “This type of experience is about starting relationships that can grow over time, and in this industry sometimes a single interaction can lead to something down the road.”
The day concluded with a collaborative marketing challenge for Netflix titles. Columbia students Jonathon Stinson and Shannon Sykes were recognized for their work during this exercise. Reflecting on the experience Echenique said: “My biggest takeaway from the day was learning to think larger than life when it comes to marketing campaigns. I saw how bold and creative campaigns can truly capture attention and create cultural moments.”
Stinson added: “It really opened my eyes to how creative the team can get. It also made me think beyond just social and that it’s okay to get super creative in this field to get people talking and connected with what you are trying to market to them.”
Echenique further said: “This experience expanded my perspective on how many opportunities exist within entertainment marketing… This broadened my perspective regarding the range of roles that exist across strategy, creative, social, media, and brand partnerships.” She continued: “It opened my eyes to so many possibilities…and it made me even more eager to learn, grow, and apply these valuable skills during my time at Columbia and after I graduate in May 2026.”
