15 Grad Going West to Pursue her Dreams on the Left Coast

Lauren Foster '15 is getting ready to jet off to California where she'll work as a network studio page while pursuing a career on the business-side of the music industry.

As a studio page it’ll be her job to keep live television audiences responding to the show prompts.

“You kind of make sure the audience is going along with the host or emcee,” she said. “If they are supposed to be quiet; if they are supposed to be energetic; that they are in the right seat.”

Foster was a double major in communications studies and a self-designed course in public and professional writing in the Liberal Arts Department.

She knew she wanted to spend a year close to home after graduation so she took a job in Merrimack’s Conference and Events with Sodexo where she started building her resume even though it meant a 90-minute commute each way to her home in Rochester, N.H.

She made some contacts in Los Angeles through friends and Kathy Vaillancourt, the study aborad advisor – short-term programs in Mission & Student Affairs, before landing the job at a television studio.

“I really want to go into the music industry, especially the management side,” Foster said. “I want to be an artist manager or touring manager; I really want to do tours or concert work.”

She’s interviewed with a talent agency recently and is hopeful her budding career continues to grow on the West Coast.

Foster attended the Student Involvement Fair as a freshman at Merrimack where she volunteered for the Programming Board and subsequently fell in love with the job of putting on events such as the spring concert, Macktoberfest, Wacky Wednesdays, and Warrior Welcome Weekends. By her sophomore year she was the co-chair of the spring concert committee helping plan and coordinate the event while overseeing four subcommittees.

Since graduating, Foster has worked closely with catering while helping organize campus events such as Reunion Weekend, Admitted Students Day, and Homecoming.

Geraldine Robarge, the catering manager for Sodexo, has worked closely with Foster since coming to campus in October. Foster is an independent task-oriented person whose skills will help her succeed, she said.

“She’s kind of do-it-all, that’s why when she moves out to California I think she’s going to do great,” Robarge said.

Merrimack prepared her well for her blossoming career, Foster said. As a communications major she got the academic work needed and the Senior Seminar gave her everything needed to get a job, from writing a resume and cover letter to the interview skills. Outside the classroom she was a resident assistant for two years, and attended the Merrimack Outreach Experience Retreat twice before leading it once.

“It helped me realize what I enjoy doing,” Foster said.

 

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