Welcome!

This summit was put together to provide you with information, direction, connections, and insight as you pursue your creative career after college. For quick access to any of the following event components, click the desired button below. Looking for the list of live virtual activities? Click on the corresponding date buttons below to see what is happening each day, access links to the live virtual sessions, and sign-up for mentoring and office hour slots.

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The format is designed to allow you flexibility. You can watch pre-recorded sessions at your convenience. Most live engagement sessions are offered more than once with 1-1 and office hour slots throughout the 3 days so that you can attend sessions around your schedule.

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Looking to chat with fellow attendees? Use the hashtag #SEASummitExperience.

Pre-Recorded Sessions

Once pre-recorded sessions are finalized, they'll be uploaded below. Until then, you can view a list of the planned pre-recorded sessions, click HERE.

Resume Upload

All attendees can submit in a PDF of their resume for review. We have HR and Career Development Professionals as well as creatives who will provide written feedback on your resume. Upload your resume now through March 19th. Please allow 1-2 weeks from the end of the summit to receive feedback. Feedback will be sent via email to the address on the resume submission form.

Friday, March 19th

Mentoring Sign-Up links will be available in early March. Zoom links for sessions will be provided closer to March 19th.

Friday 3 PM CST

• Live Discussion: Crushing Legal Myths w/ Attorney, Elizabeth Russell

Is it true? Or is it a myth? Test your understanding of arts law in this good-natured, interactive workshop. We'll crush the myths and shine a light on legal best practices.

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Business Etiquette with KaMariea (Kay) Gravesande (40 min)

• Mentoring with Evan Price

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Friday 4 PM CST

• Industry Chat: Dance w/ Brianna Hairlson, Margi Cole, Annie Hackett, and Rebecca Ferrell (50-60 min)

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Acing the Interview (40 min)

• Mentoring with Dr. Greta Pope

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Friday 5 PM CST

• Live/Work Communities Chat with Kiela Smith-Upton and Laura Weathered 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Taking a Job that's Not Ideal (40 min)

• Mentoring (Portfolio & Resume Reviews) with Hale Ekinci

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Friday 6 PM CST

• Industry Chat: TV/Film/Video w/ Saudia Davis, Linnette Harrigan, John Klein, Brian Prairie, and Herman Johansen 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Navigating the 1st Year Out of College with Nicole Anderson (40 min)

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Getting Started in Voiceover with Joe Bianco (40 min)

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Friday 7 PM CST

• Grad School Panel Panel with current and recent grad students, coordinated by Columbia College Chicago 

• Chat with Zach Hartley

• Mentoring with Paul Logan

Saturday, March 20th

Mentoring Sign-Up links will be available in early March. Zoom links for sessions will be provided closer to March 19th.

Saturday 8:30 AM CST

• Mentoring (Portfolio Reviews) with Molly Miklosz

Saturday 9 AM CST

• Industry Chat: Freelance / Entrepreneurship w/ Gary Vaughan, Maurice Hissink, and others TBA (50-60 min)

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: The Side Hustle in Journalism with Dr. Anne Hoag and Jenna Spinelle 

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Saturday 10 AM CST

• Industry Chat: Media & Digital Art w/ Brent Rolland, Brian Prairie, Rebecca Reuland, and others TBA (50-60 min) 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Advice for 2021 Grads (40 min)

• Mentoring with Brianna Hairlson

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Saturday 11 AM CST

• Industry Chat: Art Management / Non-Profits with Barrett Baebler, Molly Miklosz, Heather Pontonio, and Elizabeth Kilpatrick (50-60 min) 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Designing a Resume for the Creative with Hale Ekinci (40 min)

• Mentoring with Nicole Anderson

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Saturday 12 PM CST

• Industry Chat: Acting/Theatre w/ Carin Silkaitis, Dawn Gray, Phil Tyler, Herman Johansen, and Mari Reisberg

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Mental Health Post Grad 

• Mentoring with Lindsey Hastings

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Saturday 1 PM CST

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Is Grad School Right for Me?

• Chat with Jeffrey Madoff

• Mentoring with Paul Logan

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Saturday 2 PM CST

• Industry Chat: Graphic Design w/ Lidia Varesco-Racoma and others TBA

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Translating Art Skills to Job Skills (40 min)

• Mentoring with TBA

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Saturday 3 PM CST

• Industry Chat: Music Performance w/ Elizabeth Kilpatrick, Ed Wimp, Brian Witkowski, and other TBA (50-60 min) 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - The Wait for the Right Job (40 min)

• Trademark Q&A 1-1 Sessions with Dana Dickson

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Saturday 4 PM CST

• Industry Chat: Live Entertainment & Events w/ Brent Rolland, Bettina "Poet Gold" Wilkerson, Ed Wimp, and Brian  Witkowski (50-60 min) 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Getting to Wow! Portfolio Design with Denise Laurin-Donatelle  (40 min)

• Mentoring with Linnette Harrigan

Sunday, March 21st

Mentoring Sign-Up links will be available in early March. Zoom links for sessions will be provided closer to March 19th.

Sunday 9 AM CST 

• Industry Chat: Visual Arts w/ Rebecca Reuland, Daniel Sroka, Sergio Gomez, Robin Liefeld, Juan de Lascurain,  and Eric Elliott (50-60 min) 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Building Your Music Business with Dr. Greta Pope (40 min)

• Mentoring with Jennifer Barrett

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Sunday 10 AM CST 

• Industry Chat: Photography w/ David Johnson, Carin Silkaitis, Jeffrey Ross and others TBA (50-60 min) 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Artistic Non-Profit Business with Barrett Baebler and panelists (40 min)

• Mentoring with KaMariea (Kay) Gravesande 

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Sunday 11 AM CST  

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Business Model Canvas for Creatives with Gary Vaughan (40 min)

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Arts Innovation with Daniel Arthur (40 min)

• Mentoring with Carin Silkaitis

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Sunday 12 PM CST  

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Acing the Interview (40 min)

• Session TBA  

• Mentoring with Rebecca Reuland

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Sunday 1 PM CST  

• Industry Chat: Music Business w/ Dr. Greta Pope, Brian Witkowski, Ed Wimp 

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Taking a Job that's Not Ideal (40 min)

• Mentoring with Francesca Leo

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Sunday 2 PM CST  

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Panel - Translating Creative Skills to Job Skills (40 min)

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: The Writer Side Hustle with Allie Pleiter (40 min)

• Live Chat: Authentic New Possibilities with Brian Witkowski 

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Sunday 3 PM CST  

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Art of the Pivot with Brianna Hairlson -  (40 min)

• Live Chat: Pandemic Pricing with Joe Bianco and others TBA

• Trademark Q&A 1-1 Sessions with Dana Dickson

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Sunday 4 PM CST  

• Industry Chat: Writing w/ Allie Pleiter, Jennifer McCord, Emily Assell, and William Kenower

• Pre-recorded Q&A Follow-Up Session: Behind the Image with Tyler Lenn Bradley (40 min)

• Mentoring with Denise Laurin-Donatelle

Sponsors and Collaborators

This free event has been made possible through grants from The Coleman Foundation and The John E. and Jeanne T. Hughes Charitable Foundation.This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Additional support has been provided by North Central College, DePaul University Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, and Beloit College. Program support has been provided by Columbia College Chicago, Future Founders, and North Central College Enactus. We also want to thank all of the volunteers that have donated their time and expertise as presenters, mentors, resume reviewers, panelists, and more.