Alumni
Recent Grad Lauren Bernal Pursues Sports Industry Working for the LA Clippers and the LA Chargers
After earning her A.A. in Visual Communications, Lauren Ashley Bernal continued at FIDM with her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and graduated in September. She is now working in the professional sports industry, managing game day events for the Los Angeles Chargers (NFL), and supporting on-court and in-crowd promotions for the Los Angeles Clippers (NBA). We caught up with her to learn more.
Fill us in on what you’re up to with the Clippers and the Chargers: I currently work for the Los Angeles Chargers as Fan Experience Game Day staff; this includes tasks such as assisting in set up/tear down, and managing game day events during pregame, quarter breaks, and halftime in the stadium as well as manage on-site activations and fan experiences. I also work for the Los Angeles Clippers as Game Presentation Night Staff; this includes supporting on-court and in-crowd promotions, selecting contestants, escorting talent, assisting in fulfilling sponsorship commitments, and the execution of game-related elements taking place on game day.
Why did you choose FIDM? I was very interested in FIDM because of the wide range of majors they offered, with a majority of them embodying some type of design and creative element.
How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you are doing now? When attending FIDM they ensure you focus on your studies but also keep your eye out for opportunities to help you gain experience in the industry and field you are interested in. They encourage their students to build their resume while they are enrolled in classes, which is what helped me decide exactly what I wanted to do in my career.
How did you decide on your major? I chose the Associate of Arts degree in Visual Communications because it allowed me to be creative and design both physically and through the computer. It is a major that covers many concepts intriguing to me. Once completing my Visual Communications degree, I decided that I wanted to learn about the business side, which lead me to complete my Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.
Any advice for current FIDM Students? My advice for current FIDM Students is to take every opportunity that is presented your way. In the end, all of your experience will help you gain a better idea of exactly what you want to do for a career as well as grow your network. You never know who you are going to meet while you are working at an event or at your internship. Every time you are working, treat it as an interview because you do not know who is watching and may be your next employer.
How do you go about setting goals and tackling them? Starting with an overall goal then breaking it down by evaluating how you are able to get there in smaller steps. Creating a list of those smaller steps and setting dates as to when those should be completed by helps me not feel overwhelmed or get behind schedule.
What is your next goal? With recently getting into the sports industry, my next goal is to grow with a company where I can continue to learn and gain knowledge, take on additional responsibilities, and provide as much value to the team as possible.
Keep up with Lauren on Instagram @lauren_bernal.
Categories: Business Management Visual Communication Alumni
