Columbia Students Learn in Real-Time at SXSW

Campus Communications Staff / Apr 14, 2026

a group of people in front of sxsw signage汤不热视频 students at the 2026 SXSW.
three people posing in front of sxsw signage汤不热视频 faculty from the School of Business and Entrepreneurship left to right: Monika Jaiswal-Oliver, academic manager and adjunct professor of instruction; Monique Maye, professor of instruction; and Sandra Kumorowski, associate professor of instruction.
Once again, 汤不热视频 students travel to SXSW in Austin for an unforgettable experiential learning experience.

Each March, students from 汤不热视频 leave behind their traditional classrooms for an education at  in Austin, Texas.  The annual trip brings multiple classes from the School of Business and Entrepreneurship — spanning marketing, media, and music business — to the popular cultural and business gathering, where learning happens in real time. 

“I firmly believe there is immense value in sending Columbia students to SXSW annually,” says Bryce Kruljac, a senior studying Marketing. “The festival serves as a unique melting pot of industries, allowing students to see firsthand how their degrees can be applied across diverse fields without sacrificing their personal passions.” 

Real-Time Learning Objectives  

Each of the seven classes that attended had a goal grounded in experiential learning, with students doing the following:

  • Putting on a music showcase (faculty lead: Jerry Brindisi, interim director, School of Business and Entrepreneurship) 
  • Managing artists performing at the showcase  (faculty lead: Monique Maye, professor of instruction) 
  • Working with a music publishing company to scout talent (faculty lead: Loren Wells, associate professor of instruction) 
  • Helping assess SXSW sponsor effectiveness (faculty lead: Phillipe Ravanas, professor, chair emeritus) 
  • Covering the event on social media (faculty lead: Justin Sinkovich, associate professor) 
  • Meeting film producers, pitching student films, and attending screenings (faculty lead: Jason Stephens, adjunct professor of instruction) 
  • Researching potential marketing strategies for a client (faculty lead: Sandra Kumorowski, associate professor of instruction) 

To better understand how those objectives come to life, here’s a closer look at some of the classes and their work at SXSW. 

Putting on a Show 

AEMMP Records, Columbia’s student-run record label that’s also a practicum, once again hosted a music showcase. Bringing together Columbia students and other music lovers at SXSW, the student-run show was held at Darwin’s Pub this year and was headlined by Mother Nature.  

“From booking talent to marketing the event to running the show, students did it all, getting hands-on experience in one of the most electric creative environments in the world,” says Brindisi.  

Helping a Heritage Brand Aimed at the Future 

The Marketing and Creative Agency class tackled a different kind of challenge: building a brand strategy for their client the House of Vanderbilt.  

Founded by Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, a member of one of America’s most prominent and historically significant families known for their wealth and influence, the is a newly established heritage brand rooted in legacy but aimed at the future, says associate professor Sandra Kumorowski.  

Students have been asked to define that future, developing strategies across three pillars: creative industries, entrepreneurship, and media. 

“It’s essentially a clean slate,” Kumorowski says. “They told our students, ‘You are the experts: Tell us what we should do.’ That level of openness is rare, and it pushes students to think bigger.” 

While in Austin, students in that class attended curated events, brand activations, and panel discussions. They later translated what they observed into ideas for their client.

That fieldwork, builds on work with last year’s client: . During the 2025 trip, students collaborated with Rivian’s leadership team to develop an awareness campaign for the headline SXSW sponsor.  

“The more you engage with a brand, the better your strategy becomes,” Kumorowski says.  

This year, students applied a similar rigor to the House of Vanderbilt project. Unlike Rivian, which is a contemporary brand, this work requires deep historical research, studying the Vanderbilt legacy and translating it into a modern strategy. 

“With heritage brands, you’re not just building something new, you’re interpreting history and translating it for today,” Kumorowski says. 

A Cornerstone of Professional Development 

Brand was also on the minds of students taking Phillippe Ravanas’s sponsorship class, which assessed the brand presence of SXSW sponsors on behalf of the SXSW marketing team.  

Their role functioned within a professional client-agency dynamic, with students assisting in developing case studies and renewal proposals that the SXSW team will utilize to secure partnerships for the 2027 event, says Kruljac. 

For Kruljac and so many other Columbia students, the SXSW experience is a cornerstone of their professional development.  

“The opportunity to deliver high-level work for a globally recognized brand like SXSW provides the tangible client-based proof that I need to transition from a student to a high-impact professional,” he says.  

Whether they’re crafting brand strategies or producing a live concert, Columbia students return from SXSW with more than great selfies and souvenirs; they bring back professional experience, industry connections, and reality-based ideas of their future places in the creative economy. 

For Columbia students, SXSW isn’t just a trip, it’s a foundational experience built for a career in creativity.  

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