By Nolan Tompkins
On November 8th, the Undergraduate Entertainment & Media Club (now named the Ross
Entertainment Conference) hosted our annual Ross Entertainment Conference in the Robertson
Auditorium at the Ross School of Business. This event brought together a diverse panel of
industry professionals, each sharing insights from their experiences across various sectors of
entertainment, including film, digital media, and talent management. The conference is a unique
educational opportunity for attendees, especially Michigan students, to understand the
intersection of entertainment and business by giving real-world perspectives to students who
are not typically exposed to those perspectives in the classroom. By giving students direct
access to individuals who have built successful careers in entertainment, the conference
remained fully aligned with the goals outlined in our original grant proposal: to help students
learn how to pursue, navigate, and succeed in entertainment-related career paths.
One of the challenges we faced this year was maintaining interest and attendance despite
shifting from free admission to requiring attendees to pay for entry. In the past, the conference
had no entry fee, so introducing paid tickets required us to change our approach to how we
promoted the event. Using the BLI Habit of Gather, we looked at data from the previous
conference, asked students what would motivate them to attend, and assessed which marketing
channels were most effective. Applying the Habit of Create, we redesigned our outreach to start
to post consistently on social media, we started making visually appealing promotional
materials, flyering throughout campus, and tabling in the Ross School of Business to directly
advertise to students. Finally, through the Habit of Act, we delegated responsibilities across our
team, followed a coordinated schedule to plan the conference, and executed the marketing plan
efficiently. Our collaborative efforts helped us reach an attendance figure that was within close
range of our original goal.
Throughout the conference planning process, our team members improved our leadership and
professional skills. We gained experience in financial management to ensure the event stayed
within budget, learned how to maintain a cohesive and reputable brand image, and
strengthened their confidence when communicating with business executives and potential
speakers. Using the Habit of Reflect, we discussed what went well, what challenges emerged,
and how we could further elevate the event in future years.
Looking ahead, our next steps include beginning outreach earlier, expanding the speaker lineup
to include an even wider range of entertainment professionals, and exploring new grant and
sponsorship opportunities. These actions will allow us to continue improving the conference
while applying the leadership habits and lessons we gained from this year’s experience.
