The city of Los Angeles is more than a sunny, sprawling West Coast metropolis; it is an experience unlike any other for students and young professionals in the communications field, and the QU in LA program positions you in the center of that experience.
You’ll immediately begin an internship — chosen before your arrival — that is at once challenging and rewarding, and allows you to learn from veteran professionals and mentors. Through them you gain not only industry knowledge and tangible skills, but access to a strong network in the area.
Outside of work, your growth only continues against the diverse cultural and artistic backdrop of sunny Southern California. The greater Los Angeles area offers a wealth of unique opportunities for cultural enrichment. Activities have included group trips to the J. Paul Getty Museum, USC football games, hiking in Laurel Canyon and outings to famous LA landmarks like the Hollywood sign.
While QU in LA is a fully immersive experience, you are not without a support system. You’ll be housed in one central location with your program peers, and have access to a full-time program director. With a regularly expanding library of contacts at her disposal, the director will put you in touch with all of the personal and professional resources you may need.
April 21, 2022
Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, students reside at LEVEL Furnished Living. Each spacious, air-conditioned suite at LEVEL features a 50" flat-screen cable TV, a sofa and an open air balcony with city views. Students can enjoy the state-of-the-art fitness center, sauna, hot tub, basketball court and more.
Since the program’s inception in 2014, students have had internships at companies across LA in several disciplines, including script writing, film production, finance, marketing and public relations. Companies where you might one day intern include:
| 20th Century Fox | Ellen Degeneres Show | NBC Universal |
| ABC News | Salon.com | |
| Atlantic Records | Fox Network | Sony Pictures Entertainment |
| CBS-TV | HBO Entertainment | Sports Illustrated |
| CNN | Jimmy Kimmel Live | Time Warner |
| Comedy Central | Marvel Studios | Universal Music Group |
| Disney ABC Television Group | Miramax | Warner Bros. |
| E! Network | MTV Networks (Viacom) | Yahoo |
The program director is constantly expanding our network with companies in the Los Angeles area. If you are interested in connecting with Quinnipiac and working with our students, email quinla@qu.edu.
The Quinnipiac University in Los Angeles program isn’t about “getting your feet wet,” it’s about diving into an opportunity to gain experience and exposure in the largest media and entertainment hub on the West Coast.
If you’re ready to make the jump, to bring your East Coast drive out West, we’re with you. What you take back with you will set the pace for your future career.
Currently enrolled Quinnipiac juniors and seniors who have maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA become eligible to attend the QU in LA program after their sophomore year. Students have their choice of attending during the spring, summer or fall semesters.
Brooke Mommsen ’18
Aspiring filmmaker Brooke Mommsen “absolutely loved” her time in the QU in LA program.
In Fall 2016 she did two internships: three days a week at Montecito Pictures, and two days a week at Eclectic Pictures. “I couldn’t believe that not only was I able to work at these companies, but that I was able to do so much,” she says. “I did script coverage, I transcribed notes for film scripts, I made appointments, I called agents, I worked with the casting department. Between the two internships, I probably read more than 70 scripts. I kept showing them that I was ambitious, and they reciprocated by giving me more tasks to do.”
At Montecito, Mommsen was able to develop a close working relationship with producer Ivan Reitman ("Ghostbusters"), who sought her out because she was the only intern who knew how to use the scriptwriting software Final Draft. “I attribute that to the really great education and amazing preparation that I got at QU,” says Mommsen. “Working with Ivan was a very cool experience. He asked me what I thought about the scripts. He took what I said to heart, which is really nice. I loved working there.”
Mommsen says the producers at Montecito invited her to contact them after graduation. “Participating in QU in LA was one of the best decisions of my life.”
After graduating, Mommsen followed her heart and moved to LA in 2018. She is working as a content and platform strategy assistant for Disney.
“Interning at the Television Academy gave me the opportunity to work up close and personal with top talent in the television industry, like those who were honored at the Hall of Fame, while networking with the amazing professionals I get to work with everyday.”
“Working at Fox Sports Radio was one of the best experiences of my life. I got so much hands-on experience working in the sports media world, and I even got to go on air a couple of times! The fact that I was excited to go into work everyday makes me confident that I’m pursing the right industry, and I wouldn’t know that without this internship!”
“A big part of why I wanted to go to Los Angeles was to experience living in the entertainment capital of the world. I felt there would be a lot of opportunities for me there — and there were. During my semester in LA, I was able to gain experience at two very different places — AwesomenessTV and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. I could not have asked for a better overall experience.”
If you have questions about the QU in LA program, please contact us by email at andres.rosende@qu.edu.
We’re always here to help provide additional information and answer any questions you may have.
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