Undergraduate Media & Entertainment Conference
About
The Undergraduate Media & Entertainment Conference invites all Penn students to learn more about the industry through a mix of panels, networking breaks, and a keynote speaker. The conference is designed to give Penn students both a big-picture view of industry trends and a practical understanding of career pathways in media and entertainment.
2025: Scaling Stories
Our inaugural conference explored how creativity, business strategy, and innovation shape the way stories are developed, produced, and shared with audiences worldwide.
The “Future of Streaming” panel featured David Curley (NBCUniversal) and Amy Jo Smith (Digital Entertainment Group). They offered a compelling look at how evolving technologies, audience behaviors, and business models are reshaping the media landscape.
The “AI in Entertainment” panel featured Allison Goldberg (Comcast Ventures), Neal Zuckerman (Boston Consulting Group), and Kevin Dawe (Google). They gave attendees an in-depth look at the future of entertainment and how generative artificial intelligence is shaping the media landscape in unprecedented ways.
The “Production to Final Product” panel featured Maria Zuckerman (HBO & Topic Studios), Katie Maloney (Creative Artists Agency), and Brandon Smith (Golden Boi Productions & Queer Voices NYC). They gave attendees an inside look at the creative and logistical journey that transforms an idea into a finished piece of entertainment.
The keynote speaker, Mike Karz (President and CEO of Gulfstream Pictures) closed the conference with insights on the evolution of movie consumption. Drawing from his producing experience, he shared his experience with collaboration, navigating the modern studio system, and championing meaningful stories despite industry challenges.