By Josh Hildebrand ’22, staff writer
It’s almost time for LVC’s annual VALE Conference.
The VALE Conference is organized and run by a group of LVC students. During the conference, media professionals from around the country come to speak about their careers. Student moderators ask the panelists about their careers and those in attendance are also given the opportunity to ask questions.
This year will feature several notable panelists, including Mike Hostetler, who works for WGAL, Sherri Mullen, who works for RDSD Publishing and Anthony Gilbertie, who is an editor for ESPN. Jennifer Stamm, head of marketing for B2C OTT, a news streaming service, will be the keynote speaker.
“It is one of the best opportunities to network and learn more about the industries,” Sarah Papson, VALE vice president, said. “The audience can learn about different careers, how to get them and the skills and knowledge needed to be hired.”
Papson is a senior digital communication major with a minor in business administration. During her freshman year she became involved with the VALE Music Group. Since that time, she has held various positions within the group.
“VALE was actually one of the deciding factors for me when it came to picking a college,” Papson said. “Freshman year I was involved with the finance group, sophomore year, the marketing group and by the end of the semester, I was voted Vice President. After that, I became VALE President.”
In the past, the VALE Conference has served as a place for students to simply learn about the jobs that exist within the media industry. This year, the conference is focused on educating students on how to find jobs in the industry. The conference serves as a great way for students to learn valuable industry information.
“[Working with VALE] I learned knowledge about accounting, budgeting and marketing,” Papson said. “I have also learned a lot about planning and organizing through my role as vice president.”
The VALE Conference will take place on Saturday, Nov. 20, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Interested students are encouraged to visit VALE’s social media pages, @valemusicgroup on Instagram and Facebook, for more information.