Paul Lopez, a respected alumni and graduate of the former Electronic Media & Communication (EMC) degree program in the College of Media & Communication, recently spoke as a guest lecturer to CoMC courses. When speaking with students, Lopez discussed his role in the entertainment workforce and what he applied from his experience as a student in his full-time career.
From the beginning of Lopez's career as an assistant at Warner Brothers Entertainment to his position now as Manager of Development at Funny or Die, Lopez reflected on his years spent in CoMC and the impacts the college has made on him as a professional.
While seeking support and opportunities through universities, Lopez said he found exactly what he needed in the College of Media & Communication.
“I think the faculty and staff are really great in the way of pushing students to pursue what they really want to do and what they like,” said Lopez. “I transferred over here and I didn't feel that from my other university.”
For Lopez, having a chain of mentors who were eager to help their students in any way they could was a memorable part of being a former student.
‘‘I learned from the faculty by them just being so open with me and telling me to go after it,” said Lopez.
“I was able to go to professors and ask them for help—whether they knew anybody or if they could give me some guidance and they were always willing to do that.”
Looking back on the faculty and teaching style that was presented within the college, Lopez was pleased to find an environment that encouraged his creative endeavors, which ultimately played a hand in his professional career.
“I think it is more hands-on from the folks here at the school,” said Lopez. “That was probably the thing that did the most for me was they pushed me to follow my dreams, to follow things that I want to do and ultimately I've been doing that ever since.”
During his time as an undergraduate student, Lopez used resources within reach to gain multiple internship positions at KTTZ-TV/FM and FOX 34, which aided his growth when first entering the workforce as a Public Broadcast Service (PBS) administrative coordinator in Washington, D.C. From being a student in the classroom, to his current role with Funny or Die, Lopez felt incredibly honored when he was invited back to the college as a notable alumnus. Reflecting on how things have evolved from when he was a student, to the program currently, Lopez was impressed and appreciative of CoMC.
“When I came here, we were in a completely different building,” said Lopez. “To see how much [the College of Media & Communication] has grown and all the different courses that are available or the degree plans, it shows how amazing it is. It also shows there are a lot of opportunities and options for students here.”