ROAR Network is Loyola Marymount University’s student-run television network, and not many students have been more involved or more effected by the experience than Alisa Adams.
As a freshman, the San Francisco native became the marketing intern at ROAR Network and worked her way to up to managing the network. Inspired by her involvement with ROAR, Alisa, a marketing major, chose to minor in film studies and pursue a career in the entertainment industry. That paid off as she recently offered a job was a marketing coordinator at Fandango/NBCUniversal.
As part of the ‘10 for 15‘ series, freshman Nathalie Rubin asked 10 questions to 10 seniors from the Class of 2015 who were involved in Student Affairs. Here’s what Alisa, now the senior manager at ROAR Network, had to say about her experience working in student media.
Why did you choose to come to Loyola Marymount University?
I fell in love with LMU once I stepped foot on the campus. It was beautiful and offered everything I was looking for at the time. It was located in Los Angeles, offered a great marketing program with internship and career development options, and it just simply felt like the right place.
How did you come to be involved with ROAR Network?
I started at ROAR Network the second semester of my freshmen year in January 2012. I was viciously looking for work on campus, and I applied to countless jobs and ROAR Network happened to be one of them. They called me in for an interview for the marketing intern position and the rest was history. I started as marketing intern and worked my way up to general manager.
How has your involvement in ROAR affected your experience at LMU?
Looking back on it, ROAR Network became my LMU experience. Starting in January 2012, it really became all I was doing at LMU besides classes and my second desk job in the Theology department. I was at ROAR all the time, even when I did not have to be. The ROAR Network team is always very close and it became a lot more than just a job. ROAR Network really became that network of people that I hung out with and could rely on.
My experience at ROAR also affected and influenced the direction of my studies and interests. I learned so much about film and production from my involvement, so much so that I declared a film studies minor my junior year. I also decided that I want to take my career in marketing to the entertainment, film and video media direction. ROAR gave me the opportunity to gain experience in marketing and management way before I even took classes on the subjects. It was cool and beneficial to be able to go into marketing classes already having actual experience in the subject.
What is your favorite memory from the ROAR Network?
My favorite memory from the ROAR Network is hanging out with the staff and doing weird things. Haha. We have done everything from smashing ukulele’s for Instagram videos, running shirtless men ad campaigns, and putting on haunted houses for Halloween. It is hard to choose just one memory because they are all special in their own way.
Who at LMU has inspired you and how have they done so?
Tom Nelson has been a huge help and inspiration through my time at ROAR Network. He helped me a lot when going through my years as general manager, and pushed me to be my best while running the network. He helped me realize what I was capable of and helped me get there.
What is the most important lesson you have learned from working at ROAR Network that you’ll take with you?
The most important lesson I learned from ROAR Network was that communication is key. As a manager you are dealing with a lot of different moving parts and a lot of different people. Not everyone communicates in the same way and realizing that turned out to be very important. For a machine to work correctly, all the parts need to be working together properly. In the workplace if they are not communicating then there is no way they are going to be able to work together properly. Building strong communication and connections between all of the staff was the most important thing I learned in my position. Things are boring when no one is talking anyways.
What is something most people don’t know about working at ROAR Network that you would like them to know?
It is a lot more fun than people think it is. It is also one of the best experiences a student can have. As general manager, you are basically running a mini TV Network. There are so many things you are able to experience that no class could ever give you.
What are your plans after you graduate and how do you think your experiences in ROAR will benefit you moving forward?
I was recently offered a job as marketing coordinator at Fandango/NBCUniversal, which came out of the internship I have held at the company for the last eight months. So the plan is to stay in Los Angeles and take this position at this great company. My experience at ROAR is one of the reasons I got this job. I would have never had such an interest in film if it were not for ROAR. I would also never had such great experience in marketing and management to show on my resume. And my work ethic would never had been so developed if I did not have my ROAR Network experience. ROAR was definitely a huge help in landing this position right out of college.
What advice do you have for current and future LMU students?
Get involved in something that matters and is going to help you as a person socially and professionally. Take advantage of all the different opportunities LMU has to offer and whatever you do, put your all in. If you give 100, you will get out 100.
What will you miss the most about Loyola Marymount University?
The view from the bluff. I will definitely be sneaking back on campus to take a peak once in a while. Also probably Daum Hall Annex, where ROAR Network lives. (But just a little bit.)
By Nathalie Rubin