KENNESAW, Ga. — Kennesaw State University is getting global recognition for its music business school.
The Joel A. Katz Music and Business Entertainment Program (MEBUS) was recently ranked as one of Billboard Magazine’s 2022 list of Top Entertainment Business Schools in the World.
Only 38 schools worldwide sit on the list and this is the fourth time MEBUS has made the cut.
“We're very honored to be back for a fourth time in Billboard Magazine,'' Keith Perissi, executive director of the MEBUS program said. “It's a testament to the work that we're all doing here.”
Billboard ranked the schools based on industry recommendations, alumni information provided by honorees and program details, but MEBUS offers students much more.
Perissi, who is also a Kennesaw alum, said the 24-credit certificate allows students to get real-world experience in all things entertainment ranging from entertainment law to audio engineering. The school also expanded the program to include an 18-credit minor in 2020.
And even though MEBUS sits on the list with some of the most prestigious schools like New York University and Berklee College, Perissi believes the program stands out from all the rest.
“We are interdisciplinary, which means that we are open to all majors and people can minor in us or take a certificate. And you don't have to be a musician or actress or performer to join our program, whereas most of the other ones you do have to do that,” he explained.
Billboard spotlighted the program’s MEBUS Mixer which takes place every semester at MadLife Stage and Studios. The mixer gives 25 student artists the chance to perform on stage for an audience of 250 guests, and MEBUS students manage the planning and execution of the entire event.
Perissi believes it is experiences like the mixer that truly give students a taste of what a career in the industry would be like.
“We feel like we do a great job in preparing these students to be hired,” he said. “They do at least three internships with our program, so by the time they graduate, the resume looks like a million bucks.”
In addition to internships, students can also study abroad in London or the Disney Interactive Entertainment Study program which Billboard outlined as a four-week session at Walt Disney World Caribbean Resort in Orlando where students study all things film, television, animation, music, video games and more.
Perissi even said the school is in the works to provide even more overseas opportunities within the program in the near future.
“We've got a lot of really exciting projects, some amazing partners coming on through,” he said. “We're getting more global and we're starting to offer more opportunities for our students to study around the world in this business.”
Alumni from the program have gone on to make careers with top companies like Live Nation, Coca-Cola Studios and The Anschutz Entertainment Group.