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Previous Presidents
Gabe Valenzuela
Presidential Term: 2022-2023
"Ever since I was a freshman, I knew I wanted to work in the entertainment industry so I majored in Entertainment & Tourism. As an industry with tons of different roles, I wasn't sure which career path to choose. I knew about ETC, but I was too shy to join until everything went virtual during the pandemic. I applied for a position on the executive board and was thrilled to become the PR Specialist & Sponsorship Director during my junior year. Being part of the PR team helped me feel more confident and grow my skills as a leader.
As that shy freshman who knew he wanted to be a part of ETC, it was definitely surreal to realize that I was President my senior year. As President, I was able to gain skills in public speaking, event planning, communication, time management, and so much more. All of which are skills needed to thrive in the entertainment and tourism industries, and even any industry for that matter. During the past two years I spent in ETC, I learned a lot about myself, and the industry, and had fun working with like-minded individuals who share the same career goals as I do.
I can definitely say that ETC has been one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience because not only has it given me opportunities, but also amazing friends that I know I’ll always have for the rest of my life. So my advice to you is, if you want to work in entertainment or tourism, or be on ETC’s executive board, I say become a member of ETC! Go to the panels and workshops, meet new friends, mingle, and network! I genuinely wish I had joined ETC earlier, so don't wait too long if you know this industry is where you want to be."
Sabrina Huynh
Presidential Term: 2021-2022
Hailee Giang
Presidential Term: 2020-2021
"Being able to be a part of ETC’s Executive board from 2019-2021 was the best college experience I could have ever asked for! I’m so grateful for all the experiences, opportunities, and friendships that I have garnered from being in this amazing organization. I was able to make fruitful connections and had the opportunity to work at shows like Billboard Music Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and Latin American Music Awards. ETC has also helped me gain the confidence I need to be able to work in such a fast-paced and high intensity industry. It has truly inspired me to really put myself out there and has taught me all the skills I have today.
The biggest piece of advice I could give is to take advantage of the opportunities and experiences that this organization offers! Being surrounded by like-minded peers and being able to attend such unique events helped me not only narrow down my career path but has inspired me to do everything to the best of my ability! Even though the year I served as President was completely remote, I have never felt so close to the friends I made through ETC and will always be grateful for the community that ETC gave me."
Madelyn Lund
Presidential Term: 2019 - 2020
"Without ETC, I truly would not be the same person that I am today! Being the President of ETC for the 2019-2020 school year and the Panels Coordinator for the 2018-2019 school year helped lead me to my passion for the music industry. It also gave me the confidence and skills in order to gain my first internships at Live Nation and the House of Blues. For the first two years of college, I felt lost when it got down to choosing my concentration.
Thankfully, ETC inspired me to change my concentration to Entertainment and Tourism and gave me the clarity I needed. One of my favorite memories during my time with ETC was our winter benefit concert when we held a toy drive with Serve the Way and provided a night filled with music and memories for our members.
ETC helped my confidence grow immensely and my peers inspired me to apply for jobs and adopt new skills I would have never been brave enough to try before.
I highly encourage all club members to take advantage of every opportunity ETC provides and to try a little bit of everything. Be bold and don't get discouraged, every step is one closer to your next opportunity!"
Gabby Hernandez
Presidential Term: 2018 - 2019
"Being the President of the Entertainment and Tourism Club helped me grow personally and professionally! When I first transferred to CSUF in 2017, I was the quiet girl who preferred to not have the spotlight on her. I also felt overwhelmed because I didn't know which organization to join. After attending ETC's kick-off event, meeting members, and hearing what the board members had to say, I joined immediately. It didn't take long for me to decide that I also wanted to be part of the executive board. I knew I had to make my college experience worthwhile, and when the opportunity came up, I applied to be part of the board. I learned a lot from being the Community Relations Director and transferred the skills the following year as President of ETC.
The biggest takeaway from being part of a team for two years is to communicate clearly and be willing to take risks. As college students, it may be easy to doubt our strengths, but with the right support system, it doesn't have to be like that. I'm glad that I found the best support system and surrounded myself with other individuals who had the same career goals and interests. One piece of advice that I can share with others who still don't know what career path to follow is to try everything. Apply to different internships and find out what your true passion is. Thanks to this club, my peers, and my advisor, I was able to have the best college experience!"
Lauren Olguin
Presidential Term: 2017 - 2018
"Becoming involved in ETC has helped me so much in my professional career. From attending panels which helped me understand what it was like to truly work in the industry, to learning how to network and talk to professionals through our annual Industry Mixer and learning the skills to make a killer resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile, I wouldn't have been able to succeed so strongly in my professional career without ETC.
As a Street Team member, I knew that the Executive Board was somewhere I wanted to be in order to grow even more professionally and as leader. Becoming President was an amazing opportunity to help grow our diverse network of professionals, connect ETC with the larger community of Cal State Fullerton and help other students secure their dream internship. I couldn't be more grateful for my experience in ETC!"
Mat Vido
Presidential Term: 2016 - 2017
"ETC honestly was the most valuable and meaningful experience out of my 4 years at Cal State Fullerton. The club helped shape me into who I am today. I joined ETC as a freshman and had the time of my life meeting fellow students who had similar desires and dreams to make it in the entertainment industry. By the end of my freshman year, I knew I wanted to become more involved in the club, so I applied to be on the executive board. I went from being the Media Director my sophomore year, to VP of Marketing my junior year, and finally being President by my senior year. Being on the executive board for 3 years inspired me to work hard and do my best in all aspects of my life. If you are a CSUF student looking into working in the Entertainment or Tourism industry, I highly suggest joining the club. ETC is not just a club, but a community of like-minded individuals networking and empowering each other to be the best in their field. I can’t thank ETC enough for all the opportunities it has given me over the years. Love you ETC!!"
Jasmine Arenas
Presidential Term: 2015 - 2016
Jasmine Arenas is currently a news and sports reporter for KYMA/KSWT, the NBC and CBS affiliates in Yuma, Arizona. She graduated from California State University in May of 2017 and quickly began to work in news a couple months later. During her time at CSUF, she was incredibly involved in clubs around campus. Not only did she report for ETC, she was also a sports reporter, anchor, and producer for Titan Sports. She landed several internships through networking with colleagues and panelists at ETC. In college she landed a job at Fox Sports West as a production assistant and interned at NBC4 Sports Desk, Fox Deportes, and Spectrum Sportsnet, just to name a few.
During her junior year of college, she became the President of ETC where she made major connections with individuals in the media industry and helped bring on major panelists to media panels like Dodgers sideline reporter, Alanna Rizzo, and producers from NFL network, Fox Sports West and Spectrum Sportsnet.
ETC gave Jasmine the confidence to reach out to individuals in the industry and make a lot of connections. During panels, it is important to network not only with panelists but also with individuals on the board and colleagues. She says “It could be your colleague who helps you land your first or next job.”
Vivian Phan
Presidential Term: 2014 - 2015
"ETC was my best experience and my most valuable experience at CSUF. I wanted to get involved with an organization that could really help me jumpstart my career in entertainment & ETC did just that. I found ways to build my resumé, but more importantly build my professional network. Every internship I had was through a connection from ETC. This club helped enhance my networking skills and showed me how to be a better professional. These skills have definitely transferred over to my current field."
"As president, I wanted to help guide other students to find their passion in entertainment like ETC did for me. With the best executive board, I was able to do that & we had a successful year. There are things that you just simply cannot learn in the classroom. The opportunities I found within ETC were instrumental in starting my career, including my current job in the industry. ETC gave me a place to learn, grow & succeed. I couldn't possibly thank this organization enough for everything that it has done for me. I am forever grateful."
Katie Hebert
Presidential Term: 2013 - 2014
Bianca Carreno
Presidential Term: 2012 - 2013
"Being President of ETC made my senior year of college unforgettable! I learned a lot about myself as a leader and the importance of being a part of a team to reach our goals. We had such a fun, motivated, and driven executive board that made every meeting, panel, and mixer enjoyable. I loved representing ETC and getting members and students excited about the many opportunities available to them through the connections within the club. I miss being in ETC tremendously and I am so excited we have an alumni network to be professional resources for each other today and in the future!"
Marissa Calaunan
Presidential Term: 2011 - 2012
During my year as ETC President, I learned how to work in a multi-faceted and fast paced environment within the entertainment and events industry. As a leader,time and personnel management were key to the success of our organization. I maintained open lines of communication with my fellow board members, and this lead to my improvement as a leader. Not only did I gain the knowledge and skills necessary to make our events successful, but I also created great professional relationships through our ETC network. It is important when in a leadership position to earn respect, and ask for guidance from your team. Now that I am working in the live entertainment sector, it is very apparent that leadership skills affect the quality of the entire production and the production team. I am truly grateful for my experience as ETC president, because it has equipped me with the skills to be successful today.”
Taylor Somera
Presidential Term: 2009 - 2010 & 2010 - 2011
My participation in the Entertainment & Tourism Club (ETC) at California State University, Fullerton was one of the most valuable experiences I gained throughout college. ETC allowed me to practice the basics to professional development in an open environment where we worked together to manage new projects and try new techniques to grow the business s of the club and fulfill its mission. Leading ETC and working with the other students is an experience that could not have been replicated in the classroom. Most importantly, ETC kick started my professional networking and I am happy to say that I still network with my fellow ETC members and the professionals I met as an ETC club member.”
Jackline Valladares
Presidential Term: 2008 - 2009
“A good chunk of my most memorable moments at CSUF was in ETC. I remember attending my first ETC meeting as a freshman clueless as to what I wanted to do. ETC linked me with contacts that have been able to push my career in the music entertainment field forward. Personally, I was able to grow as a leader. It may sound cliché, but ETC truly was the stepping stone for this shy wallflower to break out of her comfort zone. How I managed to summon the tenacity to pursue the president leadership role still bewilders me, but I am so glad I did it. It was a tough job recruiting members but with the help of my excellent executive board, we were able to rank high member numbers by the end of the spring semester. I am unbelievably proud of what ETC is today. Go ETC!”
