EPICS Events
EPICS and our SoC partners offer in-person and virtual events throughout the academic year. Attend a workshop, masterclass, alumni/industry speaker or networking event, or alumni panel to refine your professional skills, acquire new knowledge and expertise, and explore career paths of interest. These events are tailored to boost your career development, help you learn about industries, and broaden your professional network.
Upcoming Events
You will find EPICS upcoming events for the School of Communication in the calendar feed. Employers and friends of Northwestern can view all events open to the public on the University’s main calendar, PlanIt Purple.
Workshops
A workshop is an organized event or series of sessions designed to help students with their career development. These workshops typically focus on various aspects of career planning and advancement including networking, internship/job search strategies, interviewing, career planning, and resume and cover letter writing.
Master Classes
A master class is a session led by someone who has expert knowledge or skill in a particular area. Every masterclass has an aim or goal that students will learn or complete by the end of the session.
Industry Connect
The Northwestern community stretches far and wide. With EPICS’ Industry Connect evenings, students can see the direction their Northwestern degree can take them. Experienced alumni and professionals discuss their industry, career path, and offer advice to students in a speed networking format. Each Industry Connect event is focused on a specific industry area that aligns with our Career Communities.
Life After NU
This panel series is for students to learn from young alumni about the transition from school to industry. The goal is for our current students to hear from young professionals about their immediate steps after Northwestern and recent steps in their career. Each Life After NU event is focused on a specific industry area that aligns with our Career Communities.
Alumni/Industry Speaker Events
Speaker events are an opportunity to hear directly from an experienced and accomplished alum and/or industry professional and often include a Q&A. They provide an opportunity for students to hear from industry leaders who share about their insight and experience and offer valuable advice.
Program-Specific Events
EPICS partners with our graduate level programs in MA in Sound Arts and Industries, MFA in Documentary Media, MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage, MS in Communication, and MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises to host events specifically for graduate students.
Upcoming Events
- Apr192025
SoC I EPICS: TV Production 101 - Know The Basics
11:00 AM
1877 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208Join us for an insider’s look at television production with SoC alum Thomas Molash, Production Supervisor on The Bear. In this 90-minute masterclass, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the day to day operations of the production office, key crew roles, and all the things involved in keeping a TV set running smoothly.
This session will break down the essential jobs in TV production and provide valuable insights on how to navigate the industry. Expect an open discussion and Q&A, where you’ll have the chance to ask questions and get real-world advice from an industry professional.
After the session, stick around for a complimentary lunch, where you can continue the conversation, network with peers, and gain even more insights. - Apr212025
SoC I EPICS: Alumni Career Conversation - Navigating the Gig Economy in Media
12:00 PM
Christian Blauvelt (RTVF ‘08), Digital Director of IndieWire, will talk about how no career right now will follow a straight line and how developing multiple skillsets can help make you indispensable.
- Apr232025
The Knowles Prize Celebration
4:00 PM
70 Arts Circle, Evanston, IL 60208Please join the Knowles Hearing Center in honoring renowned soprano Renée Fleming.
Fleming will speak about the relationship between music and the mind, followed by a conversation with E. Patrick Johnson, dean of the School of Communication, and Jonathan Bailey Holland, dean of the Bienen School of Music.
The Hugh Knowles Prize for Distinguished Achievement is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to promoting and advancing hearing health.
This event is free but requires registration as seating is limited.
- Apr252025
SoC I EPICS: Money Stuff Every Artist Wishes SOMEBODY Had Told Them
10:00 AM
2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208Finances can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to be. In this judgment-free workshop, we break down the stigma around "money stuff" and explore simple yet powerful budgeting and investment strategies tailored for artists. You'll leave with practical tools, greater financial confidence, and a clearer path to sustaining a long and thriving artistic career.
About the Speaker: Marika Mashburn (she/hers)
Marika Mashburn has worked as an actor, casting director, and producer in Chicago since 2002, appearing at Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Northlight, The House, PlayMakers Laboratory, Griffin, and more. Raised in a trailer home in rural Oklahoma, she trained at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Her film credits include Reporting for Christmas (Hulu), Princess Cyd, and Imperfections. TV credits include Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Wordscape (Emmy Award). She is also the line producer and casting director for Incoming, the #1 comedy fiction podcast in nearly 80 countries, streaming ad-free on Wondery+.
A true world traveler, Marika has visited all 50 U.S. states, all 7 continents, and 32 countries—including a year driving ice road trucks and fronting Antarctica’s most famous alt-country band, Roll Cage Mary, at McMurdo Station. Passionate about financial literacy, she has spent two decades helping artists get out of debt and save money so they can continue creating. She is currently rehabbing a 100-year-old historic Chicago bungalow with her partner and learning to identify the tiny birds that visit their backyard.
- Apr252025
Dialogue with the Dean: Sarah Jessica Parker
5:30 PM
Sarah Jessica Parker is an award-winning actor, producer, and businesswoman who has garnered four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards.
Parker next stars in the highly anticipated third season of HBO's television series And Just Like That. The show is a sequel to the critically acclaimed television series Sex and the City (1998-2004), in which Parker starred and served as an executive producer. Parker reprised her role as Carrie Bradshaw and served as a producer for the screen adaptation of the hit series with the theatrical release of Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2.
Parker’s film, television, and theatre credits number close to 100, with memorable turns in Hocus Pocus and its sequel, The Family Stone, Failure to Launch, Square Pegs, and Annie on Broadway, among many others.
Parker was most recently seen on stage opposite her husband, Matthew Broderick, in the revival of Neil Simon‘s play Plaza Suite, the third-highest-grossing play revival in Broadway history. The play made its West End debut at the Savoy Theatre in London, where Parker’s performance earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 2024 Olivier Awards.
She launched Pretty Matches Productions, the award-winning production company, in 2005. She executive produced the documentary The Librarians, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. In 2023 she launched SJP Lit, her imprint in partnership with independent publisher Zando.
She is an advocate for public libraries and the arts, an award-winning wine producer (Invivo X, SJP), and the creator of a globally recognized fragrance line.
- Apr282025
SoC I EPICS: Alumni Career Conversation - Creative AI
12:00 PM
2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208Adam Rowings (Theatre ‘07, Kellogg ’11) will discuss how past technological changes have created waves of new opportunities especially for those early in their careers and how the current developments in AI will spark similar opportunities for enterprising new grads.
- Apr292025
SoC I EPICS: Life After NU - Talent Agencies
8:00 PM
Hear from recent SoC grads about what life has been like after graduating and navigating the transition from college to career. Hear from young professionals working as current Assistants at talent agencies who will talk about the agency path and its alternatives, as well as dispel misconceptions and provide tips on how to navigate networking and recruitment both for agencies and entertainment in general.
- May012025
SoC I EPICS: Q&A with WPP's Adam Tucker
12:00 PM
2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208Have lunch with Adam Tucker, NU alum and Global Client Lead at WPP. Hear about Adam’s work running a portfolio of top WPP global clients and specifically how AI is changing the marketing and advertising landscape.
- May062025
SoC I EPICS: Alumni Career Conversation - A Deep Dive into PR
12:00 PM
Public Relations (PR) plays a key role in shaping how organizations communicate with the public, media, and stakeholders. This session will provide an overview of strategic communications and the essential elements of effective PR.
- May132025
SoC I EPICS: Internship Panel - Getting the Most Out of Your Experience
5:30 PM
1880 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208Join us for an interactive session where students who have completed internships will share internship search strategies, lessons learned and best practices for optimal internship experiences.