This year, I am a sophomore studying Telecommunications at Indiana University. I was sitting in one of my telecom classes when the professor told us about this unique networking opportunity held right here on campus. He urged that everyone should go, and I was worried that I would not know anything, because I was only a sophomore. I had never had any networking experience, but I decided to go, because what I wanted to experience Multivisions firsthand.
Multivisions is a yearly conference held by students in the Telecommunications department at Indiana University. Alumni who work in the Telecom field come to IU to speak as panelists, meet with students, and mentor the current Telecom students. People from all different areas of media including, but not limited to, television, film, radio, advertising, and social media attend.
On the day of Multivisions, I dressed up in black pants and a business shirt, to look professional, and I walked to the Radio/TV building. The day before, I had signed up for two informational meetings with professionals in the Telecom field. I had my first meeting at 11 with Catherine Ruby, and I was nervous. She gave me some tips on how to pursue a career in production, and I was beginning to feel comfortable at this networking event. After my meeting, I went into Stanley Nelson’s lecture, and we got to see clips from some of his films, including the new “Freedom Riders.”
Then, I went to the networking luncheon held in Studio 6, where I met one of my friends, and we sat eating lunch next to an invited guest, Alana Salatta. We didn’t talk to her, because she was busy with other people, but it was still great to be in that environment, which I had not experienced before. Then, I went to another meeting, this time with Ann Rysenga, and she told me that I would eventually find what aspect of Telecom I am really interested in, which helped me settle my nerves. Lastly, I attended the "Script to Screen" panel, where the panelists answered questions about the process of production. On the panel was a publicist for Universal, an executive producer from New Line Cinema, the director of "Ruby," an editor for TBS, and a screenwriter (Catherine Ruby).
I am happy that I went to Multivisions, and I do not regret going. While Multivisions is full of professionals, they are there to be mentors for students’ futures in Telecom. I was nervous at first, but the environment was not as painful as I thought it would be, and I felt comfortable after 5 minutes. If you are thinking about attending a Multivisions conference, I would strongly suggest it. Don’t worry about not fitting in. If this is your first networking event, don’t sweat it, because you can always go again next year. Multivisions is a learning experience.
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