CoPA Student and Alumni Share Career Path Stories

Knowing your passions and talents is one thing, but knowing how to craft a career path can be quite another! Luckily, CoPA students have access to plenty of support from their faculty as well as the CoPA Career Advisor. It can also be helpful to see examples of career paths from other students and alumni. In July, we gave a virtual presentation for incoming students about the types of career support available to CoPA students. This presentation included a lively panel of CoPA students and alumni who shared their own career dreams, the steps they took to get where they are now, and their advice for new students. Read on to learn more about the panelists and to watch the full presentation

Steven Gudino is a 2020 CoPA graduate with a BM in Guitar Performance and a BM in Music Composition, who will be starting a master’s degree in the USC Thornton Music Industry program this fall. As a Chapman student, Steven enjoyed the close mentorship of faculty in the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music. One of his proudest accomplishments while at Chapman was having his compositions premiere in Boston and in Vienna. As a senior, Steven was also part of the inaugural cohort of the CoPA Student Leadership Council, where he had the opportunity to work closely with the dean, learn more about how things work behind the scenes, and advocate for students’ needs.

CoPA alumna Nicole Hagen graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and a minor in Business Administration in 2017. While at Chapman, Nicole danced with the Chapman University Dance Team, the Chapman University Dance Touring Ensemble, and served as president of the Chapman Dance Alliance her senior year. Nicole also had the opportunity to present her own research from her Dance Kinesiology and Anatomy course at the Performing Arts Medical Association Conference in New York City. Nicole currently has commercial representation, and is also an active member of the concert dance community, dancing with both LA Contemporary Dance Company and Mash Up Contemporary Dance Company. She also enjoys teaching dance classes alongside her own performance pursuits.

Avery Tang is a junior in the Department of Theatre, where they are pursuing a BA in Theatre Studies alongside a BA in Integrated Educational Studies. Avery has enjoyed making the most of the many opportunities and resources available in CoPA to explore career paths in the performing arts, and is currently interested in drama education, theatre management, and scenic design. Although Avery initially wanted to pursue a career in stage management, they were inspired by many other areas of theatre they were exposed to through the curriculum. So far, Avery has enjoyed studying stage management, scenic design, and dramaturgy as well as working in the Dodge College scene shop and as a recital manager for the Conservatory of Music.

Click the image below to watch the full presentation and to hear more about Stephen, Nicole, and Avery!