Global Grads Presents

Shantell "Shanz" Hill is a 2014 Entertainment Business MS graduate from Jamaica. She currently is head of Marketing for Sunshine Snacks, the biggest snack company in the Caribbean. Today we talk about how DJ and music producer Diplo originally introduced her to Full Sail. She also talks about her networking strategies and gives some great advice about interviewing for jobs and what it takes to make a great impression.

You're in for a treat with our 3 guests today. Andrea Lam, from Venezuela, Music Business AS 2025 GraduateVictor Brasil, from Brazil, Film Production MFA 2025 GraduateAnant Sharma, from India, Game Design MS 2025 Graduate

On February 26, 2026, we held our Global Grads Presents webinar series.  Thera Harisch, 2016 Recording Arts graduate from Germany, and Yash Darji, 2015 Recording Arts graduate from India, are both RA graduates, though both have chosen to work in audio for the Film industry.  They talk about how that choice was made and do an amazing job of comparing the film industry—how it differs in Germany and India.  Listen as Thera describes why the audio department sometimes feels like “the unwanted child” on a film set, and how Yash used food to bribe construction workers to get the desired results on a shoot.  

We're excited for you to hear from Danny Tenorio, otherwise known as D Tenox in the music industry. Hear about when he got his first acoustic guitar, how he ended up in Miami, and even how he almost died in LA. Also, his tips for success and how he found the drive to keep going after losing his client for which he quit his day job to devote 100%. You're in for a treat. You can find him here:Muso Instagram Spotify: D Tenox  Youtube

Join us as we speak with three recent graduates from the Computer Animation Program! Discover how they are navigating their next steps through OPT and exploring other paths that lead to their success. Our guests include Hannah Welchez from Honduras, Jocelyn Fayola from Indonesia, and Maria Nespola from Argentina.

Welcome to our Global Grads Presents series starring Full Sail international grads from all around the world as they reconnect to give back to YOU!Today's panelists:Jose VillarroelLinkedInJose Villarroel is Lead Animation Programmer at Epic Games, working remotely from Idaho. Born and raised in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, Jose pursued a Game Development degree at Full Sail University. His graduation project, Inanis, was invited to the DreamHack Anaheim Student Showcase.After graduating, Jose fulfilled his dream of joining Epic Games, the studio behind his favorite game, Gears of War 2. He landed an internship that evolved into a full-time role.Since 2019, he has played a key role developing animation systems in Fortnite and Unreal Engine.Benji PliegoBenji Pliego is a Game Design Generalist at Spaceboy. He joined Full Sail University in 2023 to pursue a Master's Degree in Game Design.He joined CelleC Games as a part of his Degree and collaborated in the development of 4 released games. He also worked on an indie title called "Abstemius" on his own.These efforts helped him land his role at Spaceboy where he is currently developing VR, PC, Console and Mobile games.He also landed a freelance role as a game writer for GameCoder Studios for an upcoming AAA game called "Selene".Since his graduation in 2024, Benji has been developing economies, stories, levels and environments for a wide variety of clients in the indie games industry. We hope you will enjoy two gaming graduates as they share their experiences post graduation and their career trajectory.

Come along as we get to know Ivana Peña-Loyola, a Music Production graduate from the Dominican Republic. Explore her inspiring journey of pursuing her passion for music and how she carved out opportunities along the way!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ivanaloyolamusic/Lindkdn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivana-pena-loyola/

Join us as we learn more about Nivedita Rajasekaran, also known as Gamer Queen. She is a 2019 Game Design graduate from India. Discover her journey of navigating the challenges of finding a career during the peak of the pandemic and eventually landing her dream job working with games at Microsoft!

Join us as we talk with 4 recent graduates who share their highs and lows of finding work after graduation, navigating OPT, and even some interview nightmare stories. EEK! Yes, it happens. Our guests include: Manav Patel, India, Game Design MFA Instagram - Manavpatel_05 Linkedin link Mario Rangel, Peru, Film Production MFA LinkedIn Instagram https://www.mariorangelhur.com/ IMDB Renan Souza, Brazil, Digital Arts and Design BS LinkedIn Lisa Fremder, Australia, Media Communications BS INSTAGRAM PersonalWebsite  

Kaiel Eytle is a 2013 Film Graduate from Guyana, and Aryana Roberts is a 2014 Film Graduate from the Bahamas. Relax, grab your preferred beverage, and listen to how they manage their film production business. Learn about their journey after Full Sail University and the projects they worked on. This episode also celebrates Caribbean Heritage Month, which is honored in June.

Join us as we discuss an amazing career from Colombian Recording Arts graduate, Sebastian Zuleta, as he explains his career as both a music composer and film music editor. Hear his story about how his move to LA eventually led to working with the great Hans Zimmer. You can find his body of work on IMDB and contact at [email protected].

2016 Recording Arts graduate, from Germany, shares her secret to success in the over 160 projects since graduation. You can connect with Thera here: Thera Harisch Mobile: +49 171 1105000 E-mail: [email protected] Instagram IMDb Crew United LinkedIn  

Today's recent graduates include: Rebecca Keenan from England, Ray Taretiya from India, Patricio Garay from Mexico, Kanmi Afolabi from Nigeria, and Fernando Augustino from Brazil. You'll hear how they found their first jobs, and why one grad turned down his dream job to work for WWE.

2013 Entertainment Business Grad from Brazil, Cesar Munhoz shares his journey at Full Sail and his career which spans performance, composition, advertising, and optimization. Listen as he talk about making the decision on what career to pursue with an Entertainment Business Master's degree with so many options. He can be reached: www.cesarmunhoz.com www.mitomano.com LinkedIn.com

In this episode, we talk with 2016 Game Art Bachelor of Science graduate, Esther Didini-James. Listen as we discuss her career with Firaxis Games, how she feels about her interview with "Asked and Answered With Women of Marvel" and what's new and exciting in her life. You can find her digital footprints here: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/estherdidini/⁠  ⁠https://www.instagram.com/esther.didini/⁠  ⁠https://www.artstation.com/estherdidini⁠  ⁠https://estherdidini.blogspot.com/⁠#!  ⁠https://www.marvel.com/articles/culture-lifestyle/asked-answered-women-of-marvel-midnight-suns-esther-didini-james⁠ 

Listen to these three recent graduates; some are in OPT while others found an alternative route, and tell their stories of how they prepared for not only graduation but also OPT. They will give advice on ways to make the transition smooth. Presenting today is Alvaro Valenzuela, Film U.C from Chile., Bowen Liu, M.S. Game Design from China, Dushyant Garg, B.S. Game Design from India.

Paula Fiuza is a 2015 M.S. Entertainment Business from Brazil. Relax, grab your preferred beverage, and listen to how she balances her freelance business in Brazil and he classes at Full Sail University. Now she travels around the world managing her own business and projects with multiple clients, spending seven months of the year traveling. More about Paula: She has more than 15 years of marketing and communications experience, with seven working in the U.S. with events in the hospitality industry, with Disney World Parks and Resorts, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott, among others. Since 2019, Paula has had her own business. She serves clients such as VANS in the U.S. and Brazil, Invygo in the UAE, and Grupo Marista, Brazil's most prominent educational conglomerate with marketing and business consulting. She has also had the pleasure of mentoring 50+ mentees who are finding success and happiness in their lives and careers.

Pedro Zimmer is a 2017 Music Production Grad from Brazil. Listen in and get inspired by Pedro's story and how his perspective on learning changed after attending Full Sail University. He has worked with multiple well-known companies like Spotify, Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery, Badoo, Bumble, Wix.com, Globo, Leo Burnett, and many others. He also manages his own company keeping himself very busy!

Felipe Tichauer is a 1999 Recording Arts Graduate from Brazil. Join us as we discuss how he strategizes his future, from his early life to now. Felipe is a multi-Latin Grammy award winner and nominations. Learn more about how his degree will lead to a successful United States recording company.

Join us to hear from our International Alumni Ambassador about their life after graduating, navigating the job market, and getting closer to a successful career. In this Podcast, we have Catalina Cuartas, a 2015 Entertainment Business MS graduate from Colombia, content marketing manager in Latin Region for Warner Brothers, Inc Discovery; Daniel Sabogal, a 2018 Game Design MS graduate from Colombia, Works for Lenovo as a Technical Team Lead, Juan Lentino, 2022 Music Production BS graduate from Argentina, founder/co-owner of Panacea Estudio, Aryana Roberts, 2014 Film BS graduate from the Bahamas, founder, and head producer of Artistic Soul Productions Studio, Teffi Hernandez, 2016 Film Production MFA Graduate from Venezuela, founder and audiovisual producer at EM Hernandez Village, Ximena Morazan, 2022 Digitial Arts & Design BS graduate from Guatemala, Media Manager for the Daily Flash Show in Orlando, and Carlos Danna, 2015 Game Design MS Graduate from Argentina, Consultant contractor for Spotify and Senior Frontend Developer at Qvik.

Chavez is from The Bahamas and a graduate of the Music Production BS degree. Hear his story of his musical family, their history with Full Sail, and how he has chosen the unconventional path of an international student. You can find him on LinkedIn and his professional website. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bigvezy/ https://www.bigvezy.com/

Listen to these four recent graduates, all now on OPT, tell their stories of how they prepared for not only graduation, but also OPT.  They will give advice on ways to make the transition smooth.  Presenting today is Reginald Gibson-Film MFA, Apuroop Telukutla-Game Design, Keith Higgins-Recording Arts, and Barbara Norambuena-Film.  

Juanito is from Colombia and a 2010 graduate of the Recording Arts Program. Hear his story about going through a challenging start at Full Sail University to becoming a successful artist, music producer, and songwriter.  Connect with Juanito Cardona: Instagram: @JuanitoCardona Email: [email protected] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx-fuY7LpSU&list=PLSeiHihdLkF_9ibA-U4ZFb7ht4r6kmWYl Website: http://www.elcolombiano.com/historico/juanito_un_creador_de_musica_digital-BCEC_251088

Upa is from India and a 2018 graduate of the Game Development BS degree.  Hear his story about going from not being good at math or computers to becoming a developer of AR and VR games.   Website: www.upawhat.com Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/upamanyu-yavalkar-08735143/ Twitter/ Instagram: @upawhat

Jesus Suarez is a 2012 graduate of Full Sail University's Digital Art and Design program.  He is from Venezuela and currently lives and works as 3D artist and animator in Orlando, Florida.  Please enjoy as we discuss his journey to selecting this career, his Full Sail experience and career path.

Nuh Omar is a 2010 international alumni from Full Sail Univeristy's Film Bachelor of Science degree.  Join us as we discuss his creative childhood, education endeavors and career in the film industry.  He also dives into the cultural bias he has witnessed in the industry and how he represents his culture in his work.  

Eddy Lin is a 2012 graduate from the Game Design Master of Science degree. Listen as he discusses his experiences as a student and his professional climb in the world of video games to his current role as APAC Business Development Manager with TWITCH. 

Join us Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 11:00 AM ET in a candid conversation with experienced alumni as they provide insights on the international student experience. About Jemima Jemima is from Nigeria, West Africa. She has a Bachelor's degree in Film from Full Sail University, a Certificate in Filmmaking from the London Film Academy, UK, and a Master's degree in Entertainment Business. Jemima is the co-founder of Neptune3 Studios, a production company with over 600,000 subscribers on YouTube. Connect with Jemima Instagram: @jemimadamina LinkedIn: Jemima Damina Twitter: @jemimadamina

Join us Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 11:00 AM ET in a candid conversation with experienced alumni as they provide insights on the international student experience. About Neema Neema Ejercito is a scriptwriter, creative writing teacher, mentor, and nonfiction writer. She is currently the user engagement lead at the e-learning start-up, Scintillant, in Vancouver where she is listening to customer needs through their stories and expressing company culture through the company’s social media. Her written work has appeared in periodicals in the Philippines. Her 3D edutainment series, AlphaBesties, is showing in YouTube Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. When she’s not writing or teaching, she manages her household with her supportive husband and three children. Connect with Neema: LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/neema-ejercito-207b772Click to follow link.">https://ca.linkedin.com/in/neema-ejercito-207b772 IG: @neemabe Twitter: @story_brewer Website: https://neemaejercito.wixsite.com/neemabeClick to follow link.">https://neemaejercito.wixsite.com/neemabe

Join us Thursday, September 2, 2021 at 11:00 AM ET in a candid conversation with experienced alumni as they provide insights on the international student experience. About Dmitrii Roets Dmitrii is a 2017 MS Game Design and 2014 BS Game Development graduate from South Africa. Upon graduating from Full Sail, he found his way to the independently-owned mobile gaming company, MonkeyFun where he worked on titles such as Alpha Squad 5 and Genies. Since early 2020, he has been serving as a UI Engineer at Activision/Blizzard, currently working on the Call of Duty Franchise. About Upamanyu Yavalkar Upamanyu Yavalkar graduated with a bachelor's degree from Full Sail's Game Development program in 2018 and is currently a Game Designer and Developer at Ronin Labs as well as the Co-Founder of Under the Lighthouse. Continually striving to push boundaries in interactive storytelling, he uses AR/VR to build unique experiences through gamified projects for non-gaming brands. Having shipped over 20 projects in the AR and Playable Ads space, he experiments with the latest and greatest software and hardware. Upamanyu also rides motorcycles and plays the bass.

Join us on Thursday, June 24, for a candid conversation with 2017 Creative Writing MFA honors grad Fran Ruesta. Fran is an Argentinean writer with 15 years of experience, including nine years in creative copywriting. He is currently fulfilling his lifelong dream of working at The Walt Disney Company, where he serves as a creative copywriter and supervisor. Find out how Fran Ruesta goes about creating a unique and immersive experience for the Disney+ audience in Latin America.

2014 Entertainment Business Masters Graduate Martina Knezevic was born in Germany, raised in Croatia and is currently living in Florida. After graduation, she joined IMG Academy – The world’s largest Sports & Educational Academy and has held 3 different positions since. Currently serving as the Global Outreach Manager, Martina is overseeing IMGA’s global business with staff of 20+ in offices based in Japan, China, S Korea, Europe and LATAM. Since graduation Martina has gained experience in global sales, marketing and business development. Outside of work, she has also built a community of 35,000+ followers on social media where she shares her passion for Sports & Fashion.

Join us for this International Alumni Panel Thursday, May 20 at 11:00 AM ET in a candid conversation on recent international alumni journey since graduating in 2019 & 2020 and how they have been able to find work during COVID. Panelists: Ignacio Grünwaldt Title: Computer Science Intern Company: Jaycon Systems Graduated: 2020 BS Simulation & Visualization Connect on LinkedIn HERE Daniel Lima Title: Software Engineer Company: Industrial Toys / Electronic Arts Graduated: 2018 MS Game Design & 2013 BS Game Development Connect on LinkedIn HERE Aldo Giuseppe Paulino Title: Communication Manager Company: Common Pictures Graduated: 2020 MS Entertainment Business Connect on LinkedIn HERE Julio Cesar Villamediana Title: Musician Company: Independent Records Graduated: 2020 BS Music Business Connect on LinkedIn HERE Jun Zhang Title: Audio Technician Company: Faith Assembly of God Church Graduated: 2020 BS Show Production Connect on LinkedIn HERE

Laura has worked with brands, artists and companies for more than 10 years producing content, giving workshops, trainings developing relations strategies for public figures. She founded her personal branding company while studying at Full Sail and has found success in Colombia as a personal coach as well as a business, image and marketing consultant. In addition to her own company, she is a teacher of Personal Branding at the Externado University of Colombia where she teaches verbal & non-verbal communication, personal branding and music business branding.

Join us for this International Alumni Panel Thursday, March 18, 2021, at 11:00 AM ET in a candid conversation on the recent international alumni journey since graduating in 2019 & 2020 and how they have been able to find work during COVID. Panelists: Daniel Quintana Montejo Title: Game Designer Company: Break Knight Games Graduated: 2020 Game Design BS Connect on LinkedIn HERE Joshua Bedford Title: Head of Operations Company: Eighti Republic Graduated: 2020 Entertainment Business MS & 2018 Music Production BS Connect on LinkedIn HERE Maria Camacho Title: Business Communications Specialist for Private Company & Founder of Well Educated America Graduated: 2020 Entertainment Business MS & 2017 Media Communications BS Connect on LinkedIn HERE Prajwal Ramamurthy Title: iOS & Android Developer Company: Indigo Beam Consulting Graduated: 2019 Mobile Development Connect on LinkedIn HERE Stefan Janicijevic Title: Music Producer, Composer, Song Writer, Mixing Engineer, Master Engineer, and Red Bull Sponsored DJ Company: Tresh Hold Studios NYC Graduated: 2020 Music Production BS Links to projects: Zivert Song: Siri , NZCA LINES Song : Opening Night & Bleu Clair Song : Beat Like This

Join us on Tuesday, March 9, for a candid conversation with NEON16 General Manager and 2014 Entertainment Business grad Alejandro Vicuña. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Alejandro is a 15-year veteran of the music industry who has worked with Marc Anthony, Ozuna, and others. In his new role at NEON 16, Alejandro oversees everything from A&R to publishing. A thriving Miami artist incubator, NEON16 is the home of major productions such as J. Balvin and Bad Bunny’s hit collaboration Oasis. Follow us on social media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/fullsail.iss/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/fullsail.iss FSO: https://one.fullsail.edu/connect/spaces/international-student-society/22

Join us on Thursday, February 25, for a candid conversation with producer/filmmaker and 2014 Film grad Aryana Joy. Originally from the Bahamas, Aryana has more than 10 years of experience in film and entertainment, working with major industry players like ABC, WWE, National Geographic, and Disney. Aryana brings impressive versatility to ASPS (Artistic Soul Productions Studio), where she is the sole proprietor and head producer. Her working knowledge of TV and film production and visual marketing allows her to drive projects from conception all the way to completion. Follow us on social media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/fullsail.iss/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/fullsail.iss FSO: https://one.fullsail.edu/connect/spaces/international-student-society/22

Join us on Thursday, February 11, for a candid conversation with 2012 Digital Arts & Design graduate Jesus Suarez. A talented art director and 3D artist from Venezuela, Jesus has built an impressive resume in the industry over the past eight years, working with HP, Facebook, Uber, and a number of other high-profile international clients. In this interview, Jesus shares his outlook on how to survive in the digital arts industry. Side projects, developing your interests and perpetually learning are the keys to his success.  Follow us on social media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/fullsail.iss/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/fullsail.iss FSO: https://one.fullsail.edu/connect/spaces/international-student-society/22