NYU Wordpress Theme

How NYU Helps Students Succeed While Studying Away

Posted on September 23, 2025, modified on September 23, 2025 by Maxine P

Studying away at NYU means having access to highly personalized support systems designed to make the process as seamless as possible. From course offerings that keep students on track academically to a wide range of services available both during the planning stages and following arrival at each global site, students have everything they need for a successful summer, semester, or year away.

Planning with the Office of Global Programs

Information tables, signage, and patrons at the Study Away Opportunities Fair

OGP hosts a Study Away Opportunities Fair every year for students to learn more about NYU’s locations

NYU’s Office of Global Programs (OGP) is available to answer student questions at all stages of the study away process. While other universities may coordinate their study abroad programs through a single staff member who refers students to an outside partner, NYU provides access to dedicated, expert administrative teams. They help students navigate everything from financial aid to housing.

NYU’s Office of Global Services (OGS) is students’ main resource for immigration and visa questions. To learn more about a specific global academic center, OGP has staff members who represent each location. The team regularly hosts information sessions, budgeting workshops, and other events to provide students with necessary information. Vivien Jerez, a Film and Television major, shares, “I reached out with questions I had about financial aid and housing before I made my decision to study away at NYU Los Angeles. The team was really helpful!”

Fostering Student Belonging

No matter where a student chooses to study away, they have access to an on-site team dedicated to helping them thrive. Global Liberal Studies major Ciha Abdallah recalls how diligently the NYU Accra staff worked to make sure all students were adjusting well. She found the orientation especially helpful: “It was based in belonging and inclusion, introducing students to the culture and ways to ease into it. The information packet was filled with local lingo, important Ghanaian symbols, and cultural dos and don’ts. It was followed by a dance lesson in which everyone was encouraged to participate and showcase their talent.”

Personalized Student Support

Each on-site team supports students academically, organizes planned excursions, helps students navigate and connect with the local culture, and offers assistance if any unexpected health issues arise. Davina Stewart, a Gallatin School of Individualized Study student who studied away at NYU Madrid, recalls, “I had COVID-19 my first week of classes, and the staff couldn’t have been more responsive and helpful in directing me to a hospital and notifying my professors about my situation.” She adds, “When I was having difficulties with mental health, I was immediately referred to the on-site counselor who really helped me get through a few tough moments. I was given the best support from the NYU Madrid staff.”

How NYU LA Puts Students in the Room with Entertainment Industry Professionals

Posted on September 8, 2025 by Katie L

A promotional flyer for the Breaking Through the Noise workshops including a photo of Brianna Agyemang and information

A promotional flyer for Breaking Through the Noise workshops

Students studying away at NYU Los Angeles have countless opportunities to jumpstart their careers in entertainment, from networking with those in their dream careers to learning from some of the business’s most successful leaders. One such opportunity was Breaking Through the Noise, a four-part workshop series last spring led by Billboard Women in Music 2020 Executive of the Year Brianna Agyemang. With her years of expertise, Agyemang helped to immerse students in music branding, a crucial skill for aspiring artists, managers, and music business professionals.

A dynamic force in the music industry, Agyemang began her career at Roc Nation, where she excelled in digital marketing and artist management. In 2017, she joined Atlantic Records as senior director of marketing, amplifying the reach of major artists. And in 2020, she took on a leadership role at Apple’s artist services platform, Platoon, overseeing the global marketing and streaming partnership teams. She also cofounded #TheShowMustBePaused movement, catalyzing industry-wide change and commitments of nearly half a billion dollars to racial justice.

“The music industry is constantly changing, so while the class syllabus is set at the beginning of the semester, a program like Breaking Through the Noise brings in real-life, real-time campaigns for the students to learn from,” shares Agyemang. “It also exposes them to new people who are working in the field that they want to get into.”

Breaking Through the Noise was the first iteration of the new NYU Los Angeles Teaching Incubator, an initiative that empowers seasoned entertainment industry professionals who are new to teaching, like Agyemang, to develop a curriculum and share their expertise with students. After each workshop, they receive feedback from NYU Los Angeles faculty members to help them improve their instruction.

“The Los Angeles program is so specifically geared toward professional development and providing students with opportunities to interact with people in the industry,” says Nina Sadowsky, director of NYU Los Angeles. “I like the idea of bringing people on to teach who have great life experience and great education, but might not necessarily have a teaching background because they have so much other rich context they can bring. Agyemang fit the bill in the greatest way.”

A student with crossed arms sits among other students with "NYU Los Angeles" signage on the wall behind them. Three of Agyemang’s workshops were held online on Zoom, and one was conducted in-person during Professor Bonnie Greenberg’s course Music Supervision for Filmmakers and Creative Entrepreneurs. Attendees included current and former students at NYU Los Angeles as well as students in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development’s music business program and the Tisch School of the Arts’ Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Through class discussion, personalized instruction, and videos from music industry guest speakers, Agyemang imparted her credible industry experience. She covered topics such as understanding the data tools available on social media platforms, the key aspects of artist identity, how to decide who to work with, and methods of gaining visibility for an artist and their releases.

“Brianna not only shared useful tips from her own experience of working with renowned musicians but also showed two videos recorded by her colleagues. It was truly inspirational to hear from them as well,” shares a student participant. “The workshop gave me the chance to ask Brianna questions regarding my own brand identity. I received great advice, which I think will help me build it in the right direction.”

A student sits with their supervisor with a drum set in the background Beyond the music business, opportunities to gain industry knowledge and experience are plentiful at NYU Los Angeles for students interested in other entertainment fields as well, including film, television, new media, gaming, and technology. All NYU Los Angeles students are required to have an internship, and staff members guide students toward companies that align with their career goals, such as Atlantic Records, Hulu, HBO, Warner Music Group, Sony Pictures, and Creative Artists Agency.

NYU Los Angeles also offers a voluntary mentorship program that pairs industry professionals with students based on their interests and professional aspirations. One-off classes, called Discovery Sessions, teach students practical skills such as financial planning for creative entrepreneurs. And through the Discovery Experience Fellowship, students conduct research in conjunction with a professional partner, presenting their findings to a panel of industry experts at the end of the semester. One recent panel featured television department members from the production studio A24, while others have included television executives and staff from major gaming companies like Ubisoft. This program and others like screenings and concerts featuring industry alumni provide students many ways to make important connections.

“We create events where students can meet the key players that they really need to meet,” Sadowsky explains. “We provide real-world skills and access to the people who are doing what they want to do, and we make it very fun and easy for them to participate.”

Written by Olivia Richter

NYU Los Angeles Holds Inaugural Musical Showcase

Posted on February 19, 2025, modified on February 19, 2025 by Katie L

Featuring performances by and interviews of three alumni musicians, the event united students and the music industry to celebrate the program’s fifth anniversary.

Four people pose in front of purple NYU Los Angeles backdrop. Festive balloons are arranged along either side of the subjects.

Jwalt, Nina Sadowsky, Piper Page, and SOLA

SOLA, holding a microphone, sings onstage. A guitar play also appears.

SOLA performs at the NYU LA Musical Showcase.

On November 7, 2024, NYU Los Angeles (NYU LA) held their inaugural Spotlight Musical Showcase at the Preserve in Hollywood in celebration of the global site’s fifth anniversary. The 125 attendees included current students, alumni, and other friends of the program that work in the music industry.

Since 2019, NYU LA has welcomed advanced undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in the entertainment and media industries. While in LA, students engage in rigorous academic coursework taught by industry professionals and undertake a mandatory internship. A series of additional experiential and professional development opportunities support the students as they begin to forge their careers in entertainment, media, music, technology, and broadcasting.

Piper stands at a microphone on stage in front of a group of people. A person plays keyboard behind her.

Piper Page performs at the NYU LA Musical Showcase.

“We felt from the get-go that one of the big gaps in entertainment industry education was not enough connectivity between the education and the realities of the industry,” says Nina Sadowsky, program director at NYU LA. “The heart of our program is the required internship, but we’ve also reached deep into our local base of 16,000 alumni for mentorship and networking. Our Spotlight Musical Showcase was a great way to further engage our alumni while creating an opportunity for our students to make more professional links.”

The Spotlight Musical Showcase featured performances by three NYU alumni, all of whom are now launching their careers:

Jessica “SOLA” Omokheyeke (Steinhardt BM ’23, Music Business)
Piper Page (Steinhardt BM ’23, Music Business)
Justin Carter “Jwalt” Walton (Tisch School of the Arts BFA ’24, Recorded Music)

“I was excited to participate in the Musical Showcase to shed more light on the music part of NYU LA’s program,” says Page, who released her debut album, Based On True Events, in September and recently wrapped up a tour that included stops in Nashville, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. “I want to highlight that the musicians who come through our program do great things. It was such a well-done event and was well-received by everyone.”

Susan Dodes and SOLA hold microphones and sit in director-style chairs.

Susan Dodes interviews SOLA.

“I was so impressed by the outstanding performances and achievements of our alums,” said Jack H. Knott, Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of NYU Steinhardt, who attended the Musical Showcase. “These graduates of our Music Business program are a testament to the program’s unique education and hands-on experience, which empower our students to achieve success in the highly competitive music industry.”

In addition to the performances, the alumni were interviewed on stage by special guests, including Susan Dodes, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions at Steinhardt and celebrated music executive, and Marcie Allen, strategic branding powerhouse and current NYU LA faculty. Page chose to be interviewed by Noah Broxmeyer, director of creator and content marketing at Capitol Music Group and an alum of Gallatin and NYU LA.

Noah Broxmeyer and Piper Page hold microphones and sit in director-style chairs.

Noah Broxmeyer interviews Piper Page.

“We talked about what it was like for me to roll out an album as an independent artist and doing everything myself, which really resonated with the students who talked to me after the event concluded,” says Page, who is an active recording artist and songwriter while working as a marketing coordinator for Reservoir, an independent music company in New York City. “It’s more and more common for people to launch their music careers while holding other jobs, and I wanted to show them that it’s possible.”

The Musical Showcase was well-received by all attendees, and Sadowsky hopes to annualize this event, as well as perhaps expand it to other areas of the program.

“If people want to work in film, music, gaming, or tech, they need to know LA and the ecosystem here,” says Sadowsky. “Events like this provide connectivity that benefits the school, the students, the alumni, and the industry representatives.”

Repurposed with permission from NYU Steinhardt News

Students Share Their Global Internship Experiences

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Kristin Law

Companies, government offices, arts organizations, and nonprofits across the globe welcome NYU students who seek internships while studying away within NYU’s network of 16 global study sites. Interning while away offers students traditional benefits—a chance to test-drive an industry, broaden career prospects, and boost self-confidence—and the opportunity to develop a more global mindset and gain fluency to conduct business in another language. Additionally, many of NYU’s global sites offer an experiential learning option, allowing students to earn academic credit for their internship.

“Students who participate in an internship while studying away have the opportunity to connect with the local community in deep and meaningful ways while enhancing their global career development,” says Janet Alperstein, assistant vice president of the NYU Office of Global Programs. “We support students by preparing them for their experience before the global internship, then help them craft a career narrative to ensure they can market themselves to future employers.”

Meet five NYU students who gained global professional experience by completing an internship while studying away.

Gaining Music Industry Experience at NYU Los Angeles

Sean Kelly, recording artist and Steinhardt Class of 2024 graduate in Music Business, has always been interested in the arts. He knew NYU Los Angeles was the right place to augment his academic work with professional experience, and he was thrilled when Atlantic Records hired him as a sales and streaming intern. Sean worked with various departments to ensure projects were ready for release and tracked streaming performance across channels. “Sitting in on meetings gave me the behind-the-scenes scoop on how different departments function,” he says. “Communication and flexibility are huge skills to have in the music industry that I developed on the job.” The internship reinforced Sean’s love for the music industry, but it also taught him about new positions and departments he didn’t know existed. “I definitely have new aspirations because of my deeper understanding of how labels operate,” he says. “I left Los Angeles with new career prospects and goals as well as completely new passions and interests.”

Engaging in Human Rights Activism at NYU Berlin

Lizzy Smith, a Global Liberal Studies Class of 2024 student, studied away for a full academic year at NYU Berlin as a junior. She interned with Humanity in Action, an international nonprofit focused on educating and connecting young leaders interested in human and minority rights issues. Lizzy worked under the program director to develop and recruit for the organization’s Berlin Fellowship. “My internship was one of my most memorable experiences in Berlin,” she says. “I learned so much in my three months there, including how to use German in the workplace, collaborate with a highly motivated team, coordinate with international offices abroad, and interview young activists about their social justice action plans.”

Making a Community-Based Impact at NYU Tulsa

Moorea Swango, a junior double-majoring in Global Liberal Studies and Public Policy, spent last summer in Tulsa interning with the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice. The nonprofit organizationequips youth with the knowledge and skills to overcome bias, bigotry, and oppression. “This was my first ever internship, so NYU Tulsa’s intern-centered approach and support made me feel all the more comfortable and valued,” says Moorea. “I felt backed by the NYU Tulsa advisers and grew close to the small cohort of NYU students. It was nice to work on a more personal scale, but still feel as though you are making a big impact in the community!”

Exploring International Marketing and English Education at NYU Prague

Steinhardt Class of 2024 graduate Angie Liu majored in Applied Psychology and studied at NYU Prague as a junior. She completed two internships in Prague, one as a marketing data analyst with a food market company and another as an English teacher at a local high school. At the school she led English classes for beginner students, assisted in lesson planning for more advanced students, and facilitated cultural exchange by introducing students to various aspects of English-speaking cultures. “It was interesting seeing people my younger sister’s age who were growing up in a completely different world,” says Angie. “I liked sharing our perceptions about each other’s countries and learning about cultural differences we never even considered.”

Becoming Fluent in Business French at NYU Paris

Global Liberal Studies graduate Risa Kanai has a passion for world languages. While studying away at NYU Paris, she wanted to find an internship that would allow her to strengthen her French language skills. When Jugetsudo Paris, a Japanese tea boutique, offered her a position, she knew she had found the right opportunity. “My internship at Jugetsudo Paris taught me how to develop fluency in business French,” says Risa. “It was the most immersive experience I’ve ever had. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop the skills to navigate through a multicultural environment.”

Written by Olivia Richter

Fast Facts of the NYU Global Network

Posted on November 11, 2024 by Maxine P

While it is impossible to fully capture the breadth of the NYU global network, we rounded up some fast facts about the academic sites and cities where NYU students can study away. Whether they land at one of our three degree-granting campuses in New York City, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai or at our sites in Accra, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Florence, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Sydney, Tel Aviv, and Washington, DC, NYU students will have a rich academic experience supported by the University. Our newest site, NYU Tulsa, will officially open in spring 2025. Select students went to NYU Tulsa in spring 2024 for Alternative Breaks as well as during the summer for internship experiences.

The following information is accurate at the time of publication in fall 2024, but it is representative of a moment in time, so some information may change.

NYU Abu Dhabi

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 123*
Average class size: 16*
Number of courses available: 600+*
Number of residence halls: 3°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $4.90†
City population: ~600,000‡

NYU Accra

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 14*
Average class size: 5*
Number of courses available: 12*
Number of residence halls: 1°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $1.90†
City population: ~1.9 million‡

NYU Berlin

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 77*
Average class size: 11*
Number of courses available: 30*
Number of residence halls: 2°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $3.06†
City population: ~3.5 million‡

NYU Buenos Aires

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 47*
Average class size: 7*
Number of courses available: 27*
Number of residence halls: 1, however, most students live in a homestay°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $1.76†
City population: ~13.1 million‡

NYU Florence

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 351*
Average class size: 24*
Number of courses available: 60*
Number of residence halls: 4, plus the option to live in a homestay°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $1.54†
City population: ~350,000‡

NYU Londonˣ

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 495*
Average class size: 22*
Number of courses available: 97*
Number of residence halls: 5°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $3.36†
City population: ~8.9 million‡

NYU Los Angeles

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 35*
Average class size: 11*
Number of courses available: 13*
Number of residence halls: 1°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $4.69†
City population: ~3.8 million§

NYU Madrid

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 284*
Average class size: 23*
Number of courses available: 51*
Number of residence halls: 3°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $1.92†
City population: ~3.2 million‡

NYU in New York City

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 535*
Average class size: <30*
Number of courses available: 2,500+*
Number of residence halls: 11°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $4.69†
City population: ~8.3 million§

NYU Paris

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 257*
Average class size: 15*
Number of courses available: 68*
Number of residence halls: 3, plus the option to live in a homestay°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $3.13†
City population: ~2.1 million‡

NYU Prague

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 88*
Average class size: 8*
Number of courses available: 50*
Number of residence halls: 2°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $2.46†
City population: ~1.1 million‡

NYU Shanghai

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 95*
Average class size: 7*
Number of courses available: 250+*
Number of residence halls: 1°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $3.95†
City population: ~22.3 million‡

NYU Sydney

Students in front of the Sydney Opera House

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 38*
Average class size: 7*
Number of courses available: 13* (Access to dozens of University of Sydney courses also available through direct enrollment.)
Number of residence halls: 1°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $3.24†
City population: ~4.6 million‡

NYU Tel Aviv

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 16*
Average class size: 7*
Number of courses available: 14*
Number of residence halls: 1°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $3.82†
City population: ~430,000‡

NYU Washington, DC

Average number of students studying away here each semester: 68*
Average class size: 17*
Number of courses available: 17*
Number of residence halls: 1°
Average cost of a cup of coffee: $4.69†
City population: ~680,000‡

°Additional student housing facilities are obtained as enrollment demands.

†Based on coffee prices in each country as of February 6, 2024 (Coffeestics.com)

‡Based on city population numbers (PopulationStat.com)

United States Census Bureau

ˣNYU London’s average number of students is anticipated to grow next semester due to the global site’s move to a larger academic center in the fall 2024 semester.

Repurposed with permission from NYU Global Notebook

Global Programs Booklist

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Katie L

Inspired by the first NYU Bookstore display collaboration between the Office of Marketing Communications and the Office of Global Programs, this list of books representing NYU’s global locations promises to broaden your perspective and enrich your knowledge.

NYU Abu Dhabi

Temporary People
By Deepak Unnikrishnan

The skylines of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are recognizable around the world by their resplendent glittering towers—but how did they get there? Deepak Unnikrishnan, an Indian-born writer raised in the United Arab Emirates and associate arts professor of literature and creative writing at NYU Abu Dhabi, knows the answer: a foreign labor force was brought in to construct them. Using a series of clever and surreal linked stories, Unnikrishnan gives voice to a humanitarian crisis that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

NYU Accra

The Hundred Wells of Salaga
By Ayesha Harruna Attah

Based on a true story, The Hundred Wells of Salaga tells the tale of two women from very different backgrounds whose lives converge in an unexpected way. It’s a novel that will entangle you emotionally, while offering you crucial insight into precolonial Ghana, particularly the slave trade and its impact on a people.

NYU Berlin

No Photos on the Dance Floor! Berlin 1989–Today
Edited by Heiko Hoffmann and Felix Hoffmann

History books offer what we think is a full story, but this photography book provides a peek into the city’s after-hours culture through the club scene that blossomed in 1989 after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It’s not only a delightful visual romp but also a history book in its own right, telling the story of a city in transformation, one party at a time.

NYU Buenos Aires

The Aleph and Other Stories
By Jorge Luis Borges

Jorge Luis Borges might seem like an obvious choice for Argentina—for a country that produced so many famous writers, he is arguably the most famous. Still, who can deny this selection? The brilliant, inventive tales of The Aleph and Other Stories will surprise and stimulate, and they are must-reads for diving into Argentine culture. Borges, after all, makes magic happen in the most unexpected ways.

NYU Florence

The Monster of Florence book cover featuring a close-up image of Giambologna's The Rape of the Sabine sculpture

The Monster of Florence: A True Story
By Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi

The Monster of Florence has developed a bit of a cult following in recent years, and for good reason—it’s a wild ride. American Douglas Preston moved to Florence with his family and quickly discovered that their olive grove was the site of one of Italy’s most infamous double murders. As he works with investigative journalist Mario Spezi, a Florentine, to get closer to the truth, things really begin to spiral. The Monster of Florence is a propulsive thriller that offers valuable, and often shocking, insight into the Italian justice system.

NYU London

White Teeth
By Zadie Smith

White Teeth is a rare novel that is entertaining while simultaneously layered with so much richness, one might want to read it all over again as soon as it’s over. Starting with two unlikely friends whose stories blossom into a poignant yet funny family saga, Zadie Smith’s debut novel keenly witnesses the immigrant experience in London, traveling to other continents as well while navigating the relationship between tradition and change.

NYU Los Angeles

Slow Days, Fast Company book cover featuring a distorted image of a woman

Slow Days, Fast Company: The World, the Flesh, and L.A.
By Eve Babitz

This slim book offers stories as wild and wanton as Los Angeles itself. Unapologetically hedonistic, Slow Days, Fast Company is also a clever, windy ride through the Los Angeles of the 1960s and 1970s. It has all the usual Angeleno archetypes, but Eve Babitz elevates them with her incisive and acerbic insights into life in Hollywood. Isn’t it funny that, decades later, so much has changed but so much remains the same?

NYU Madrid

Ghosts of Spain book cover featuring images of Spain

Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through Spain and Its Silent Past
By Giles Tremlett

Worth a read to understand a post-Franco Spain, Ghosts of Spain is a well-rounded, curious, and admittedly fun romp through the country, albeit prompted by the author’s questions about its devastating civil war. British author Giles Tremlett combines keen cultural reporting with memoir and quirky sidebars that add levity to what begins as a serious interrogation. While it’s intellectually critical, it’s also a love letter to Spain. After all, there’s a reason Spain is Tremlett’s adopted country.

NYU Paris

The Years book cover featuring an image of a woman looking at the viewer with the silhouette of a person looking down a hallway

The Years
By Annie Ernaux

Annie Ernaux’s whole oeuvre is masterful, but many critics cite The Years, first published in 2008, as her magnum opus. In this brilliant collage of a memoir, Nobel Prize winner Ernaux examines her life and the generation that she grew up in, favoring “we” over “I.” The result is a personal history tied to the collective experience of a generation in France during the 20th century. Ernaux weaves her memories into a story that offers cultural notes on topics from consumerism and immigration to unemployment and the threat of nuclear war.

NYU Prague

Havel: A Life book cover featuring an image of Václev Havel with his hand atop his head

Havel: A Life
By Michael Žantovský

In many ways, Václav Havel’s life mirrors the zeitgeist of Prague: it’s political, literary, antiauthoritarian, surreal, and somehow, even at its most serious moments, darkly humorous. If that sounds like a lot, it’s because Havel, like the city itself, was a complex figure. Michael Žantovský was a trusted friend, so this biography reads as an intimate and true portrait (faults and all) of a man loyal to his people, his values, and his art. Žantovský succeeds in showing the many dimensions of the iconoclast—playwright, political dissident, prisoner, president—who, in the end, was just as human as the rest of us.

NYU Shanghai

Shanghai Future: Modernity Remade
By Anna Greenspan

This brilliant book contextualizes China’s largest and most cosmopolitan city through the lens of modernity. Author Anna Greenspan, an associate professor of contemporary global media at NYU Shanghai, reexamines the changing landscape of the city as it steps well into the 21st century and takes its place on the world stage.

NYU Sydney

Mirror Sydney: An Atlas of Reflections
By Vanessa Berry

A fun and unexpected romp, Mirror Sydney takes us on a tour of the harborside city via engaging essays and clever hand-illustrated maps. Based on a blog Vanessa Berry started more than a decade ago, Mirror Sydney is clearly more than a mere guidebook—it’s too much fun to be that typical. Moreover, it tends to direct the reader to the kinds of places the average tourist wouldn’t care to know about or explore anyway.

NYU Tel Aviv

The Bibliomaniacs: Tales from a Tel Aviv Bookseller
By J.C. Halper

On Allenby Street in Tel Aviv, J.C. Halper—originally from New Jersey but now an Israeli for four-plus decades—runs the city’s most popular secondhand bookshop, containing a dazzling 60,000 books. And in 2022 he published this book of clever, often funny short stories from the point of view of a shop owner. While the stories are allegedly fiction, one can’t help but wonder if we’re learning more about real locals than the author lets on.

NYU Washington, DC

Lost in the City
By Edward P. Jones

It’s a joy to read anything by Edward P. Jones, the gifted, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer. His debut collection of short stories, Lost in the City, is no exception and first cemented his literary reputation. These 14 tales tell the everyday encounters and struggles of Black citizens in Washington, DC. But Jones has a gift for making even the most mundane situation meaningful, and his rich, textured stories give weight to life’s most quotidian moments as viewed through the lens of the Black experience in the nation’s capital.

Written by Marti Trgovich

The New Now Summit: Informing and Inspiring NYU Los Angeles Students

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Kristin Law

Last semester NYU Los Angeles presented The New Now Summit, bringing actors, writers, educators, artists, executives, and creative technologists together to discuss the future of filmed content and how technological, societal, and market forces will affect it.

Alex Winter, Oscar Sharp, Lindsay Nuon, Gabriel Barcia-Colombo and Dan O’ Sullivan seated onstage in conversation.

Tisch alumni, filmmaker and actor Alex Winter moderates a panel entitled AI Created Entertainment, Inherent Bias and Opportunities for Change, featuring Tisch alum Oscar Sharp, cybersecurity expert, Lindsay Nuon, and Tisch faculty Gabriel Barcia-Colombo and Dan O’ Sullivan.

NYU Los Angeles sponsored the event with help from a Global Opportunity Grant awarded by the Office of Global Programs. With additional funding from the NYU Alliance for Public Interest Technology, the NYU site felt that they could produce and facilitate an event to meet the moment(s) of the evolving Hollywood landscape. From technological influences on storytelling and inclusive representation to the value and exploitation of intellectual property (IP), the NYU Los Angeles team knew what they wanted conversations to focus on. The summit addressed several driving questions: How can diverse voices be supported and amplified if prebranded or known IP is necessary to break through the media clutter? If tech is created with the inherent biases of humans, how can it be inclusive? And, with these things in mind, how can one ethically work with technology in creative industries?

The summit audience, seated, clapping and smiling.

Fall 2023 NYU Los Angeles students in the audience

Thought leaders from NYU’s campus in New York City, including Dr. Charlton McIlwain, vice provost and professor of media, culture, and communication at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development; Gabriel Barcia-Colombo, associate arts professor in the Interactive Telecommunications Program at the Tisch School of the Arts; and Dan O’Sullivan, associate dean of the Tisch Institute of Emerging Media, were among panelists who informed and inspired audience members. In fact, much of the audience were students from the NYU Los Angeles fall 2023 cohort. For Zoë Bolden, a Film and Television major, the most impactful panelist was Kelly Mi Li. “It was interesting to hear how she took an idea she had in 2013 and turned it into the Bling Empire, which premiered in 2021,” Zoë says. “It was inspiring to see how she never gave up on her idea. My favorite piece of advice was when she said you should always stay true to a project that you have created.”

Though the industry is ever-changing and challenging, students left the event emboldened for the future. Luke Nguyen, an NYU Abu Dhabi student majoring in Film and New Media, says he learned that “Opportunities will always show up when I show up. Don’t be afraid to fail; we get better when we fail. Know that failure is taking us where we need to be.” Zoe Stevens, a Theatre major from Tisch, adds, “There will be a lot of ‘nos’ before ‘yes.’ I have to fight for the rooms I am supposed to be in. I can start that by surrounding myself with good people who lift me.”

Repurposed and edited with permission by NYU Los Angeles

NYU Los Angeles: One Day, Two Lives

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Maxine P

Angel, a junior majoring in Politics with a minor in Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology, and Mariajose, an NYU alum, share their experiences at NYU Los Angeles. Their stories especially focus on the required internship component that is designed to enhance classroom learning and prepare students for careers in entertainment and media.

The NYU Los Angeles Mentorship Program: Partners in Line Producing

Posted on April 10, 2023, modified on April 10, 2023 by Kristin Law

The NYU Los Angeles Mentorship Program gives students the opportunity to be paired with a mentor working in their field(s) of interest. The pairs have at least three one-on-one meetings throughout the semester, and all mentors and mentees are invited to a networking event at the end of the year.

Mentorship pair Mattison Lewis, Tisch School of the Arts Class of 2021, and Franny Baldwin, Tisch Class of 1992, instantly clicked. Due to their shared dedication to careers as line producers, their kinship is a wonderful success of the program. Not to mention it led to Mattison landing a job at Netflix working with Franny.

Q: Mattison, do you have any advice for students coming to NYU Los Angeles?

Mattison: I would tell them something that Franny tells me all the time: don’t be so hard on yourself! I can be very hard on myself when I make a mistake, but making mistakes or having multiple interests is natural in any career. My second piece of advice is to give grace to yourself and other people. Every job is an opportunity to learn, grow, and reflect on what went well and what you want to carry to your next job. And my final piece of advice is to not only maximize your time with your mentor but also appreciate all the time and advice they give you.

Q: What do you think made this mentorship so successful?

Mattison: Franny was so generous with her time. I appreciated this so much, since I have a huge desire to be a line producer. In addition to asking her questions about what I was working on, I shared production books and budgets for projects with her. Before I met Franny, I felt like I was flying blind or always divided in my attention and interests in film and television. But she takes to heart everything I say and bring to the table, and I try my best to reciprocate that attention.

Franny: I was very excited that Mattison was actually interested in learning how to line produce. I assumed we would meet every other week and I would teach him different skills and parts of being a line producer. I didn’t anticipate that we would end up spending so much time together just talking and learning about each other’s lives and families and really connecting.

Q: How did this mentorship evolve into a job?

Franny: When Mattison was hired for his first production coordinator job, we texted and spoke frequently while he was on location. I was very impressed with how he was handling the job. Even though I already knew I wanted to work with him, it became clear to me he would be a fabulous asset to any production.

Then Netflix approached me about their Emerging Talent program. They wanted to hire someone who was already working in production in their chosen field but would benefit from additional opportunities aimed at reaching their next career level and/or building their professional network. Mattison was a perfect fit because our show was scripted and all of his prior experience was in unscripted work. He did a fabulous job on the show. When it was over, we all wondered how we would have done it without him!

No Business Like Show Business: Internships at NYU Los Angeles

Posted on March 13, 2023, modified on March 20, 2023 by Maxine P

Sean sits on a couch across from his supervisor as people walk by in the background

Sean discusses a project with his supervisor at Atlantic Records

While attending NYU Los Angeles, students from across the University enroll in the Experiential Learning Seminar. Taught by entertainment and media industry professionals, the seminar focuses on key areas like production, business, and criticism. A requirement of the NYU Los Angeles program, the seminar pairs classroom learning with real-world experience to integrate professional development and relevant research and debate and expand students’ understanding of how these industries work.

Discovering New Aspirations

Sean Kelly, a Music Business major and recording artist, has always been interested in the arts. In his first year at NYU, he fell in love with the business side of the industry while learning about record contracts and royalties. He knew NYU Los Angeles was the right place to augment his academic work with professional experience. As soon as Sean was admitted to the program, he applied for internships at his dream companies, one of which was the Warner Music Group. Atlantic Records, a label under Warner Music Group, hired him, and he was thrilled to be a sales and streaming intern.

Sean Kelly

Sean worked with various departments to ensure projects were ready for release and tracked streaming performance across channels. “Sitting in meetings gave me the scoop on how different departments function,” he says. “Communication and flexibility are huge skills to have in the music industry, and they’re ones I developed on the job.”

The internship reinforced Sean’s love for the music industry, but it also taught him about new positions and departments he didn’t know existed. “I definitely have new aspirations because of my deeper understanding of how labels operate,” he says. “I left LA with new career prospects and goals as well as completely new passions and interests.”

Building a Network

Margo Resnik

Margo Resnik, Tisch School of the Arts Class of 2022, majored in Cinema Studies and knew she wanted to work in the film industry. But she also craved a role that would include analysis and history. After transferring from a community college in Santa Monica, CA, to NYU, she spent a year in New York City and then realized NYU Los Angeles would be a better fit for her goals: to be close to the film industry and graduate early.

Finding an internship in the competitive Los Angeles market wasn’t easy, but Margo credits NYU Los Angeles with making the process as smooth as possible. “They have a running list of new and upcoming postings that is updated daily, and they use every connection they have to help introduce you to different companies and people,” she says. Margo’s hard work and patience paid off when Artist Publishing Group hired her as a marketing intern last fall. During the internship, Margo learned many practical skills, but the relationships she formed were more important to her. “My boss was so incredibly helpful,” she says. “I’m still in contact with him, and he regularly reaches out to see how I am doing and provide me with leads for potential jobs. The entire experience has shown me there are people in this industry who truly want to help you.”

Written by Kristin Maffei