Montana summers are the best and they’ve gotten even better over the past few years, offering plenty of opportunities for music and entertainment, including the Under the Big Sky Festival in Whitefish, the Big Sky Brewing Amphitheater, the KettleHouse Amphitheater, Washington Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, and the Zootown Festival at the Missoula Fairgrounds.
As the Dean of the University of Montana’s College of Business, I take special pride in these events because I know our Entertainment and Management Certificate students are often behind the scenes, supporting the artists, working on stage setup, and helping with sound.
We’ve had the Entertainment Management (UMEM) program for 24 years, and it has been incredibly popular. It is an interdisciplinary program focusing on the future and evolution of entertainment, events, and sports management. These students learn about talent management, events management, athletic administration, sales and development, and venue and facility management. As great as our program is, it keeps getting better.
During Homecoming last year, we held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for our own venue at the College of Business. This beautiful, permanent wooden stage was the idea of a UM supporter with extensive experience in entertainment management who wanted to provide students with more hands-on learning opportunities by operating a venue. This individual provided the funding to build a small stage in the Gallagher Business Building Courtyard. Students now manage this venue as part of the curriculum in our entertainment management classes. They facilitate booking, promotion, event production, and every other detail to bring a performance to life. It’s already been used dozens of times this school year.
Employability is a central component of the UMEM program, as evidenced by the many students who spend their summers working at concerts and other programs throughout Montana and the West Coast. Last year, students worked directly with Pearl Jam in the green room and running errands; one worked at Live Nation in Seattle at T-Mobile Park; others worked with the sound systems at Under the Big Sky; and many more helped with ticketing concerts at the KettleHouse Amphitheater.
One incredible example of a successful alumnus is Austin Mullins, a former Griz football player who earned the Entertainment Management certificate and went to work for WME, one of the entertainment industry’s major talent and media companies. He works closely with country music star Lainey Wilson, who played at the Adams Center in Missoula last September.
Austin, along with numerous other alumni, continues to give back to the program in meaningful ways. Industry leaders actively contribute by teaching courses, serving as guest lecturers, and participating in the development and evaluation of the curriculum, ensuring that our Entertainment Management students receive a high-quality, relevant, and practical education.
As the entertainment industry continues to grow as a significant economic driver across Montana, the University of Montana College of Business stands ready to meet the evolving needs of the sector by providing highly educated, well-trained, and workforce-ready graduates. We are excited about the future of our Entertainment Management program. We are actively planning for its continued growth by expanding course offerings and enhancing the credentials and opportunities available to our students.
Suzanne Tilleman is the Sprunk and Burnham Endowed Dean at the College of Business at the University of Montana.