Meet Chelsea Hoskinson

Job title: Marketing Representative, Players Club
Employer: The Meadows Racetrack and Casino
Hometown and Current Residence: Georgetown, Pa.
Degree earned: Bachelor of Science in sport, arts, and entertainment management
Graduation year: 2011
Activities involved in at Point Park: Residence Hall Association, Point Park Orientation Leader

Who or what has inspired you to pursue a career in the entertainment field?

I always knew a normal nine to five job wasn’t really in my future.  If I had to deal with a subject or topic for the rest of my life, I knew something in the entertainment field would never become boring for me.   

Why did you choose to attend Point Park and major in sport, arts and entertainment management?

When looking for colleges and a field to choose, I was extremely confused.  I knew I wanted a career within entertainment but wasn’t sure exactly what it was that I wanted to do in that field.  By choosing Point Park, I was provided with different options to explore sports, the arts, and entertainment.  Plus, earning a business degree felt like a responsible decision in case I didn’t quite connect with the world of entertainment. 

Please describe your previous internship and work experiences.

During school breaks, I held several positions within customer services/guest relations.  My sophomore year of college I worked with Landmark Event Staffing at Heinz Field and Star Lake (now First Niagara Pavilion).  While with Landmark, I was given the responsibility to work several shows backstage.  When applying to internships within entertainment and sports, this was a great skill to have on my resume.  I was brought into FSN Sports Network (now ROOT Sports) as a marketing intern where I was working around not only on air talent but sports stars as well, specifically players from the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Pittsburgh Pirates.  It was a great opportunity for me to have and I made sure I worked hard to prove that I was the right fit for the internship and the FSN team. 

During my senior year, I interned with Donna Belajac Casting.  It’s a small casting agency in Downtown Pittsburgh.  They were working on casting roles for a television pilot while I was there.  DB Casting had only two employees so I ended up taking on work if the assistant casting director was out of the office.  It was a completely different experience than being with FSN but it was great for me to see two different sides of the entertainment world.  During college, I also accepted job shadowing or volunteering experiences that came my way like when I was a stage runner for the PBS Doo Woop Show.  I landed this position thanks to Point Park instructor Ed Traversari. 

How did you land your current job as a marketing representative?

I believe it was my resume and my interview skills that helped me land my job at The Meadows.  My previous work experiences with customer service and internships within the entertainment realm made me a good fit for the job and the employees who were already there.  Being a candidate for a job isn’t just about the skills on your resume but the personality you bring to that interview and if you are a fit for the team that is already in place. 

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy the various challenges and responsibilities that I encounter each and every day.  Not one day is the same as the other.  It’s fun because I’m on the casino floor everyday and in the action of it all.  I was recently brought on the drawing team which entails that I am responsible for running drawings by using special software to pull names, data entry and even getting to announce!  It’s not at all what I was expecting to be doing but I love getting to do new things and bringing my energy into each task. 

What are some of your future career goals?

I would like to use my position as a marketing representative for the Players Club to someday find a career in casino marketing or social media marketing.  I’m using this time now to make connections and learn as much as I can about casinos.

What advice do you have for students in the SAEM program who plan to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?

Be a part of as much as you can.  What you do outside of the classroom can be just as important, if not more.  Being president or team lead in a group speaks volumes to your ability to work efficiently.  Also, this may be a cheesy response but just be yourself.  When you do that, people can identify your personality and your likes and dislikes better so that you can be given tasks you actually enjoy rather than saying you enjoy things when you really don’t.