Before I jump to what my life looks like now, I want to rewind to 2018. I vividly remember touring Kent State and walking down the esplanade with my parents and a small group of eager high school seniors, same as me.
I begged my parents to go on this tour even though moving into a college dorm wasn’t realistic for me at the time. We didn’t have a lot of money and it just felt out of reach to invest in my education in that capacity. That mindset quickly shifted because within 10 minutes of the tour, I knew that I belonged at this school. I didn’t know how I would do it or what it would look like, but I was dedicated to making it happen.
My name is Hannah Mayer and I’m a Public Relations graduate with a minor in Marketing. I am a music lover to my core, and I’ve been to over 50 concerts.
Why am I telling you this? Because four years ago, I had no idea that I could combine my deepest passion to my future career.
I thought that only musicians had a place in the music industry and that I’d have to choose an old-fashioned career path that piqued no interest to me. Truthfully, I didn’t feel like I was capable of being a part of something so extravagant.
This just in: Extravagance is in your reach!
I’m currently interning with Live Nation Concerts as a marketing intern, and I’ve been with them since May of 2022. When I first started my internship, I was partially overseeing Live Nation Cleveland and Columbus’ social media pages.
This means I got to create and post social media content that promoted shows while also alerting fans of any show announcement/on sales. Since summer is peak concert season, I was also onsite for a lot of shows at Blossom Music Center, Rocket Mortgage Field House, the House of Blues and FirstEnergy Stadium.
When I attended shows, I was mostly running around the venue and taking clips for Live Nation’s social pages. I would also assist in taking photographers to the stage to shoot the first few songs of each show. I’ve been going to shows my whole life but seeing the behind the scenes is a very surreal experience.
I worked the Machine Gun Kelly and Motley Crüe shows this summer and it’s mind boggling to walk past these huge stars in narrow hallways.
Artists you’ve been listening to for years casually riding a golf cart passed you will never get old. It’s a very “pinch me, I’m dreaming” moment to realize this is where you ended up.
My internship was supposed to conclude in August, but about a month after its conclusion, I was asked to come back for an extended internship. Since I’ve returned, I’ve gotten to learn a lot about paid marketing. I’ve learned how marketers allocate money to promote certain shows. I’ve learned how marketers target specific audiences based on analytics. These past few months, my team and supervisors have really allowed me to try everything. It’s been an insanely rewarding experience.
I do owe a huge thank you to my professor and internship coordinator, Stefanie Moore. I had a meeting with Professor Moore last year and I expressed how passionate I was about getting an internship in the music industry. She gave me the name of a Kent State alum that happened to be working at House of Blues/Live Nation and I immediately contacted her for an informational interview.
As it turns out, Live Nation would be hiring an intern a few months after that informational interview, and I got hired after a successful interview round!
Thanks to Professor Moore and this internship, I can confidently say that I will continue pursuing a career in the music industry upon graduation.
Now, for any high schoolers reading this and considering Kent State as an option: take the leap! Four years ago, I didn’t ever see myself touching my dreams. I didn’t believe that I was smart enough, skilled enough or involved enough.
When I finally started taking what I learned from Kent State and applying it to real life, employers were so impressed! Although still somewhat prevalent, my imposter syndrome started to fade. Kent State provides the courses, the professors, and the resources to set you up for success.
Coming from someone that started undecided and had no plans for herself, you will be ready by the end of your time at Kent State. No matter which path you choose, you are capable of achieving extravagant things. Make that decision for yourself and start putting one foot in front of the other.