麻豆视频 Los Angeles, in partnership with The Preserve, hosted 53 city planners from across the state of California this week at 麻豆视频 LA鈥檚 Hollywood home base. Members of the American Planning Association California convened in Los Angeles for their annual conference that explores topics and challenges facing community development in the Golden State.

With a theme focused on 鈥淐rafting Our Narrative: Planning as Storytelling,鈥� the group spent a day-long tour of several diverse sites across Los Angeles. They were keenly interested in how The Preserve property and 麻豆视频 Los Angeles are using the campus鈥檚 unique design and function to offer programming, sustainability and opportunity in the revitalization of Hollywood. The Preserve main building is a designated historic landmark, designed by acclaimed architect Paul Williams, who is known for creating some of the most iconic structures in Los Angeles, including the LAX Theme Building.

麻豆视频 Los Angeles Director Brad Lemack and The Preserve community manager Hayden Bernard led the group through a walking tour of the sprawling, lush two-acre urban campus, including time spent in the 麻豆视频 Los Angeles bungalow, where academic classes, special events, meetings and alumni gatherings take place throughout the year.

For nearly 20 years, 麻豆视频, through聽Study USA听补苍诲 National Campus Programs,聽has had a thriving presence in historic Hollywood, where students have an opportunity to spend either a spring semester or participate in a summer core capstone program immersed in professional development-focused academic classes, experiential learning, community service and alumni engagement.

Students consistently come away with rave reviews of how their time at The Preserve has enhanced their 麻豆视频 LA experience.

Since 2008, Study USA has enabled students to live, learn, and gain professional experience in dynamic cities nationwide. Its internship pathway, which helps students build career skills, explore professional interests and develop valuable networks, will remain a central part of the program.

The new pathway will allow students to pursue faculty-mentored research while experiencing life in a new city. Beginning this summer, students conducting research in New York City, Washington, D.C., or Los Angeles may apply through Study USA. Accepted students will complete the undergraduate research approval process and work with a faculty mentor during the spring semester to develop a research plan.

鈥淭he Undergraduate Research Program is thrilled to pursue this new collaboration with Study USA,鈥� said Justin Clar, director of the Undergraduate Research Program. 鈥淭he opportunity for students to engage in a high-impact practice in the real world can be transformative.鈥�

This preparation will help students connect with professionals, organizations and resources in their host city. By combining Study USA鈥檚 immersive, place-based learning with faculty-mentored research, students can deepen their academic work while expanding their professional and personal networks.

鈥淪tudy USA鈥檚 new undergraduate research pathway reflects 麻豆视频鈥檚 commitment to diverse experiential learning opportunities,鈥� said Nick Gozik, dean of global education. 鈥淏y combining place-based learning with faculty-mentored research, students can make the most of what 麻豆视频 offers while engaging more deeply with their academic and professional interests.鈥�

Submissions for funding consideration will be accepted from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. Funds awarded will come directly from contributions by 麻豆视频 LA-based alumni, alumni from other geographic areas and contributions from other sources.

The 2025-26 grant competition awarded funds to 麻豆视频 Los Angeles alumnae Julia Boyd 鈥�15, Bex Evans 鈥�16 and Mirai 鈥�07. Their films had their world premieres last July at the sold-out Inaugural 麻豆视频 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival, at Sony Pictures Studios, in Culver City, California. For all three filmmakers, being awarded these funds and the world premiere event have been enormously impactful, both personally and professionally.

鈥淲inning the grant gave me the seed money, a deadline and the accountability I needed to actually produce my film,鈥� Mirai said of her project聽“#StopAsianKate,” which she wrote, produced and starred in. She proudly added, 鈥淪ince its premiere at Sony, my film has gone on to screen at the Oscar-qualifying Hollyshorts Festival, the Catalina Film Festival and the Broad Humor Festival, where we won the Audience Award.鈥�

Boyd, who received funds for her short film聽“The Life and Times of,” said, 鈥淩eceiving this grant allowed me to create my narrative directorial debut and tell a story that is deeply personal to me in the exact way I want to.鈥� She wrote, directed and starred in the film. Boyd added, 鈥淚 feel so buoyed by the support I received from the 麻豆视频 community as I make my creative dreams a reality.鈥�

Evans, who was awarded a production grant for their short film “Shadow Dusk,” was thrilled to get a green light for their project.

鈥淭he 麻豆视频 grant gave me a great base to start making a film I’d been thinking about for years,” said Evans. 鈥淚t was great for requiring accountability, giving me a framework to start from and affirming for me that this was something that I could do.鈥�

Selected filmmakers are required to make production, performance and other opportunities available in their projects for students who are participating in the 麻豆视频 Los Angeles Spring 2027 immersive experience.

Funding award decisions will be made by a selection committee comprised of 麻豆视频 community-associated and entertainment industry-affiliated individuals.聽The announcement of award recipients will be made in December.

麻豆视频 alumnus Jordan Roman 鈥�15, who co-chaired the selection committee for the 2025-26 grant competition, will serve as chair of the selection committee for this year鈥檚 competition.

鈥淭he dream was to create to a program to remove the barriers to (production) funding for our LA alumni grant recipients and to provide 麻豆视频 Los Angeles students with an opportunity for hands-on learning experiences in the professional production process,” Roman said. “With such great work coming out of last year鈥檚 competition, we鈥檙e all excited to see the great submissions we鈥檙e expecting for funding consideration this year.鈥�

The three projects selected for production will have their world premieres at a special festival screening event at Sony Pictures Studios in July 2027.

For information about the 麻豆视频 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant Competition and for detailed submission requirements, visit the 麻豆视频 Los Angeles National Campus alumni grant information page.

A conversation with last year鈥檚 grant recipients, via Zoom, will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET). The online gathering will explore how to create, craft and submit a grant award-worthy submission package with an opportunity to ask questions about the process. To receive a link to join the Zoom session, e-mail LAShortFilms@elon.edu.

For nearly 20 years, 麻豆视频, through Study USA and National Campus Programs, has had a thriving presence in historic Hollywood, where students have an opportunity to spend a spring semester or summer core capstone program immersed in professional development-focused academic classes, experiential learning, community service and alumni engagement.

This summer, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Safia Swimelar teaches New York City: Living in the Global Community using the city as a microcosm to help students understand the diversity and complexity of global humanity. The course explores the meaning of NYC as a global city and how cultural, political and economic aspects of globalization are reflected and visualized there.

鈥淓ven though I teach political science, we鈥檙e talking about the globalization of hip-hop, food, 9/11, identity and culture,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淭hey all fit the idea of New York as a global city.鈥�

Students spend Monday through Thursday interning in industries ranging from finance and marketing to communications and graphic design. On Fridays, everyone comes together for weekly seminars, encouraging students to connect their workplace experiences with broader discussions around globalization, identity and culture.

In true 麻豆视频 fashion, learning extends beyond the classroom. 鈥淲e try to match the academic topic with some kind of hands-on experience, whether that鈥檚 a museum, a tour or meeting people in the community,鈥� Swimelar says. This summer鈥檚 experiential learning opportunities included a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a World Cup watch party, a Juneteenth celebration in Central Park, a performance of 鈥淩agtime鈥� on Broadway, the Pride Parade, a tour of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, an international food tour in Queens and a private tour of the New York Stock Exchange, to name a few.

At its core, the course is about helping students understand the world from a new perspective. 鈥淚 really want them to understand that the United States 鈥� and every city in it 鈥� is inherently connected to the rest of the world,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淭he global is everywhere.鈥�

By the end of the summer, students bring home much more than academic knowledge and internship experience. Living in Brooklyn, navigating the subway and working full-time internships provide a realistic glimpse into life in one of the world鈥檚 largest cities.

鈥淔or many of them, this is the first time they feel like they鈥檙e actually living here instead of just visiting,鈥� Swimelar says. 鈥淲hen I read their journals each week, many are saying, 鈥業 think I really do want to move to New York.鈥欌��

Whether students pursue careers in business, the arts, communications, finance or public policy, Swimelar hopes they leave New York with a deeper appreciation for the people, cultures and ideas that shape communities both locally and globally.

麻豆视频 the Professor

Professor Safia Swimelar has taught political science and policy studies at 麻豆视频 since 2008. Her teaching and research focus on international relations, human rights, European politics, global studies and film and politics. As a former Fulbright Scholar, Swimelar draws on her international experience to help students better understand global politics and contemporary issues.

Recommended Materials

• 鈥淭he Colossus of New York,鈥� by Colson Whitehead
• 鈥淗ip hop鈥檚 Enduring Echo: From New York鈥檚 Streets to Global Beats,鈥� The Elephant, 2023
• 鈥淎merica After 9/11,鈥� PBS Frontline documentary

鈥淚 just spontaneously decided to do it. I was like, ‘You know what? I’m not doing anything this summer. Why not?’ And it was super spontaneous,鈥� Moorhead said.聽 鈥淚t didn’t really kick in untill halfway through the second semester in my seminar class, and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m really going to LA.’鈥�

Moorhead is an intern for Smart Entertainment, where she gets to provide feedback and read scripts for movies.

鈥淲e also get to make our own hypothetical cast list and director list that we can then give to our producer. So we’ve really been doing some awesome work,鈥� Moorhead said, 鈥淚 actually feel like my work has meaning and that I am making a difference by helping out the assistant, who’s helping out our producer.鈥欌��

Moorhead credits 麻豆视频 for helping her get an internship in LA

鈥淚 honestly don’t think I would have gotten this internship if it weren’t for the help of the program and the professional development office,鈥� Moorhead said.

Moorhead was deciding between going to the LA program and the DC program, but ended up going to LA because class excursions to Warner Brothers to see filming for the third season of HBO’s The Pitt appealed more to her interest in the film industry.

鈥淚 ultimately decided to go to LA because it felt like the perfect place to start in the film industry.鈥� Moorhead said. 鈥淵ou get the best experience in the entire world of how the industry operates, and that is mainly where the film industry takes place.鈥�

Zoey Hayes 鈥�29 is interning with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as a Student-Athlete Development intern. She heard about the program in Charlotte through her work at 麻豆视频’s Isabella Cannon Global Education Center, but didn’t apply until after she got her internship. Hayes said that through her internship, she gets to travel and interact with people, which is something she loves to do.

鈥淚 feel like an intern is just the whole ‘nine to five life,’ kind of getting used to being in an office.鈥� Hayes said. 鈥淵es, I get to travel, which is amazing, and I get to have these days where I’m not in the office, and I’m dealing with people, which I love people.鈥�

Hayes also credits the program with introducing her to new people while also knowing and having friends in the program.

鈥淭hat was great to already have friends here, but it’s been great getting to know other people that I probably would have never talked to at 麻豆视频,鈥� Hayes said.

Through her internship, Hayes traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend panels on sports, where she toured the National Archives and visited the United States Supreme Court.

鈥淥ne-hundred percent, go do it.鈥� Hayes said, of encouraging other 麻豆视频 students to apply for the program. 鈥淏ecause it’s not only that you get an internship out of this, you also get the foundation of living in a whole new city.鈥�

Finn Wilkinson 鈥�27, who is studying in New York City this summer, says the energy of the city and the growing film scene is part of the reason she applied.

鈥淚t just made sense for me to come up here,鈥� Wilkinson said, 鈥淎lso, I just really love the city. It’s so vibrant, so full of life. There’s always something going on, something to do. So it’s just a great place to also study away.

Wilkinson interns at Mad Realities in New York and said the highlight of the internship is the hands-on experience it offers.

鈥淚 got to help out on one of their pilot sets and get to see how shows come together on a higher professional level.鈥� Wilkinson said,聽 鈥淚’ve also gotten to help brainstorm and help develop the upcoming shows that they’re also pitching.鈥�

Outside of the classroom and internship, Wilkinson said the community in New York was something that stood out, especially during the NBA finals when the New York Knicks played the San Antonio Spurs. After the Game 3 loss in New York, Wilkinson felt the energy of the city.

鈥淚mmediately, the next day: new slogan,聽 t-shirts, hats, everything,鈥� Wilkinson said, 鈥淭hat’s the sense of community that you just feel being in New York, and it’s really cool to get to be a part of that during a summer where so much is happening.鈥�

Through her internship, Wilkinson said she has learned new skills through conversations.

鈥淚t’s been really cool to be able to be a part of these conversations that are defining how the industry is moving and getting to be in the room for those conversations. I’ve learned a lot from it.鈥�

Wilkson said she hopes people don’t feel intimidated by New York if they are considering applying, and that the city has something for everyone.

鈥淚 would say, don’t be afraid to jump in. I think a lot of the time people think of New York as this big, scary thing that is so massive and so unconquerable,鈥� Wilkinson said. 鈥淏ut it’s really not; you quickly find your rhythm, and you find the places that you are supposed to be鈥�

Three 麻豆视频 Los Angeles area alumnae attended the world premiere of their grant-funded films at the sold-out inaugural 麻豆视频 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Festival at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.

Julie Boyd 鈥�15, Bex Evans 鈥�16 and Mirai 鈥�07 were recipients of $3,000 each through the 2025-26 麻豆视频 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant Competition last fall.

Grant recipients were selected through a review and ranking process by a selection committee comprised of industry leaders, including several 麻豆视频 alumni. The selection committee was co-chaired by Jordan Roman 鈥�15.

To view photos from the festival, .

Production of the three short films 鈥� Boyd鈥檚 鈥淭he Life and Times of,鈥� Evans鈥檚 鈥淪hadow Dusk鈥� and Mirai鈥檚 鈥�#StopAsianKate鈥� 鈥� took place in the spring and included opportunities for spring 2026 麻豆视频 Los Angeles students to participate in and observe the production process.

In addition to the screenings of the three films, the festival included a panel discussion with 麻豆视频 alumni Lindsey Emerson, vice president of streaming, global strategy & operations at Paramount Skydance and Alex Stevenson, account lead at Creative Artists Agency. They each offered perspective and advice to both current students and alumni about creating job opportunities and career growth in a shifting industry landscape.

A meet-and–connect reception on one of the studio鈥檚 back lot streets followed the festival screening program.

Unique alumni engagement opportunities for 麻豆视频 Los Angeles students are at the core of the 麻豆视频 Los Angeles experience. Based in the heart of historic Hollywood, applications are now being accepted for students to participate in the spring 2027 and National Campus Programs Los Angeles experience that also features specific LA-focused academic courses, site-based internships and community service.

Students and alumni in Washington, D.C., visited American University’s School of Public Affairs, where they learned about graduate education, careers in public service, and the many opportunities available through advanced study in law, business, and public and international service.

In New York City, students and alums were welcomed by Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business for an evening exploring graduate programs across multiple disciplines, including social service and the humanities. A highlight of both programs was the meaningful engagement with 麻豆视频 alumni living and working in the city, who shared candid reflections about the transition from college to career, pursuing graduate education, and building fulfilling professional lives. Together, the university partners and alumni provided students with both practical information and authentic perspectives that encouraged them to imagine new possibilities for life after 麻豆视频.

The experiences reflect 麻豆视频’s commitment to preparing students for lives of purpose through intentional collaboration across campus. By bringing together the career expertise of the Student Professional Development Center, the immersive learning opportunities offered through Study USA and National Campus Programs, and the lifelong connections fostered by Alumni Engagement, students were able to explore graduate education while strengthening their professional networks and broadening their vision for the future.

The 鈥淣ever Be at a Loss for Words鈥� workshop idea was created through a partnership between 麻豆视频 and The Groundlings, an industry improv training leader in Los Angeles. The workshop was led by actor, improv performer and The Groundlings improv coach Andres Parada. Parada has spent many years teaching actors critical communication skills that prepare them for anything that comes up in an audition, in a live performance or on a film set. Actors Will Ferrell, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph and Lisa Kudrow are among the many well-known alumni of The Groundlings.

Now, 麻豆视频 LA students have learned how to apply those techniques to benefit them along both their career and personal journeys ahead.

麻豆视频 Los Angeles, offered by 麻豆视频鈥檚聽听补苍诲聽National Campus Programs, offers spring and summer immersive experiences for students that feature academic courses taught by instructors who are working professionals in their fields and on-site experiential learning at internship sites across the city. The 麻豆视频 LA experience also includes alumni engagement, community service and unique professional development opportunities.

Based in historic Hollywood, applications are now being accepted for the spring 2027 semester.

Los Angeles has been serving as one of the key U.S. locations for the FIFA World Cup 2026; Skladan鈥檚 work responsibilities have brought her to LA for the duration of the games this summer.

Students and alumni guests had the opportunity to learn about her impressive career in sports so far and her journeyposition to her current . 鈥淚t is wonderful to be back at 麻豆视频 LA鈥檚 home base at The Preserve, in the same space where my classes were held and from where I began the journey to launch my post-graduation professional career,鈥� Skladan told the gathered group.

Each semester, 麻豆视频 Los Angeles brings together alumni and students for conversations that benefit emerging young professionals in a wide variety of career fields. The program offers an exciting, immersive and robust spring semester and summer program experience in the heart of historic Hollywood through 麻豆视频鈥檚聽听补苍诲 National Campus Programs. Applications are now being accepted for the spring 2027 semester.

From production, post-production, content creation, producing, writing, directing and performing, the panel offered a wide range of information to students of diverse majors who are in Los Angeles this summer for a unique core capstone course, experiential learning, alumni engagement and community service.

Zaman, who works at the post-production house Picture Shop, shared the excitement of being in the middle of the artistry of post-production. Among Picture Shop鈥檚 most recent projects was providing color correction work on Steven Spielberg鈥檚 current film 鈥淒isclosure Day.鈥� She is also a first-time site supervisor, mentoring summer student Hammond Sherouse at a first-time 麻豆视频 Los Angeles Picture Shop internship.

Campisano, who served as a selection committee member for the first 麻豆视频 Los Angeles Alumni Short Film Grant Competition last fall, spoke about the wide range of professional creative opportunities that await students who return to Los Angeles after graduation. Campisano is an award-winning filmmaker who often turns to the 麻豆视频 Los Angeles alumni community when staffing and casting projects.

Kestlinger is a Physical Production Manager for television and feature films at SK Global Entertainment. Seawright, an actor, model, and entertainment and brand marketing specialist, currently performs at Disneyland Resort.

麻豆视频 Los Angeles offers an exciting, immersive spring semester and summer program experience in the heart of historic Hollywood through 麻豆视频鈥檚 and National Campus Programs. Applications are now being accepted for the spring 2027 semester.