Meet Francesca Brilli, a Business & Entrepreneurship freshman at Columbia College Chicago. She was drawn to the college because of the creative people she’d meet and get to network with. In this student spotlight, Francesca discusses her goals and her most influential professors.

What is your Major?

Francesca: My major in the Business & Entrepreneurship department is a BA in Live and Performing Arts Management, and a minor in Marketing.

What are your goals for being in this program?

Francesca: I hope to gain a better understanding for the industry and learn how to best succeed in it.

What classes have helped (or are helping) you to achieve that?

Francesca: My Business of Live and Performing Arts class really helped open my eyes to what exactly my major was all about. Another class that really helped me out was my Introduction to Management class. My class had the opportunity to plan and put on an event called You Year, and that really showed me how much time and effort goes into producing a live event.

Why did you choose Columbia’s Business & Entrepreneurship program, and how do you think this program will create personal growth within your future career?

Francesca: I chose Columbia’s Business & Entrepreneurship program because Columbia has a strong arts community, and from the first time I took a tour, I knew I would be surrounded by creative people, and people who thought the same way as myself, and that was so refreshing. As for creating personal growth, I know it will give me real life experience, because it has already done so. How many college freshmen can say they produced an extremely successful event within their first semester?

Are there any particular professors who have made a significant impact on you? How?

Francesca: Joe Bogdan, Julie Giampaolo, and of course Beth Ryan. Beth gave me the opportunity to co-direct You Year, and that’s an experience I’ll not soon to forget. Other than that, she really made a point to be more than just a Professor, and went out of her way to really get to know her students, something I will be forever grateful for. Joe taught my Business of Live and Performing Arts class, and helped me to see live events for more than just what they appear to be, and that has helped me to appreciate this industry and the people that work in it. And last but not least, Julie. Before I took Entertainment Marketing, I had no idea what Marketing really was, and what made it tick. Thanks to her, I’ve grown to really love Marketing, and she’s part of the reason I decided to minor in Marketing.

What other career related interests do you have?

Francesca: I really love concerts and all live events, really. I love the atmosphere and the crowds. I sort of feed off the chaos, and I think that’s what really drove me to this major.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Francesca: I want to be on tour as a tour manager. I hope it’s with a band that I really enjoy, but if it’s not I don’t really mind. I’d be doing two of the things I love most in the world: traveling and putting on live events.