SAEM Students Will Have Classes at Stage AE Concert Venue Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Above: The new Point Park classroom at Stage AE. Below: Point Park freshman Max Kovalchuk works
for Stage AE in guest services and is excited about the new collaboration with the SAEM program.

Starting Fall 2011, students enrolled in Point Park's sport, arts and entertainment management program will have the opportunity to move their lessons from classroom to concert venue.

Point Park University and Stage AE, one of Pittsburgh's newest concert venues, have collaborated to offer students in the SAEM program an opportunity to learn about the entertainment industry from a dedicated classroom space at Stage AE on Pittsburgh North Shore.

"We've always looked at Pittsburgh as an extension of our campus and now with the opening of classroom space at Stage AE, we're able to offer our students a proximity to the industry that is unprecedented for this region if not the country," said Steve Tanzilli, director of the SAEM program for Point Park.

Although the 25-seat Stage AE classroom will not officially open until the fall of 2011, students are already benefiting from the collaboration by securing jobs and internships at Stage AE. In addition, industry professionals have had the opportunity to share their expertise with SAEM students.

"Our Point Park student employees and interns are enthusiastic, dedicated and really excited to learn about the industry." said Amy Cooper, director of marketing for Stage AE and PromoWest. Stage AE is owned by the Pittsburgh Steelers, PromoWest North Shore and Continental Real Estate Companies, and has hosted such acts as Bret Michaels, Cake, and Girl Talk since its opening in the fall of 2010.

"On top of having a cool new venue in Pittsburgh, Stage AE is collaborating with our university. For a student who has just started college and is looking to get into the music industry, this is the best thing that could happen and I am very excited about it," says freshman Max Kovalchuk (pictured right), currently working at Stage AE in guest services.

Also working at Stage AE is marketing intern Jeremy Olson. As an SAEM major, Olson has shadowed the Clarks, a favorite Pittsburgh-bred band, as well as interned with a producer for Rusted Root as part of his course work requirements.

"With the Stage AE classroom, students will get a chance to see the entertainment industry up close, as part of their regular learning experience. I don't think many other schools can offer that kind of access," said Olson.

SAEM students take classes in the foundations of business basics like principles of management, accounting, human resources and corporate finance as well as become immersed into the sport, arts and entertainment specific industries with courses in promotion, venue management, event management, live entertainment and arts management.

"Downtown Pittsburgh's world class cultural offerings and champion sports teams make it a perfect learning environment to study these fields," said Tanzilli. "With the new Stage AE classroom, we're able to offer Point Park students a program that will not only teach them the foundations of sport, arts and entertainment management, but may be the springboard to a future career."

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