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From August 3^rd-7^th, �鶹��Ƶ partnered with Hulu to offer a career and professional development experience like no other! This year, Hulu’s annual give back program known as Hulupalooza, was a virtual career week that welcomed over 200 �鶹��Ƶ AmeriCorps members, alumni, and staff from our Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, San Jose, Detroit, New York, and San Antonio sites.

Throughout the week, participants were able to attend a number of different daily workshops led by working professionals and executives at Hulu. Discussions focused on exploring exciting careers and job functions that contribute to the success of the company- such as Data Analytics, Marketing and Engineering- to providing key insights and wisdom to build a solid foundation as young professionals.

Panelists included Brandon Pierce (VP, Creative Director), Patrizio Spagnoletto (SVP, Head of Marketing), Gaude Paez (SVP, Corporate Communications), and the President of Hulu – Kelly Campbell.

Although the virtual space can sometimes feel isolated, the team at Hulu made sure to leave plenty of room for interaction between attendees and workshop leaders, allowing participants to submit questions and tell their own stories via the virtual chat function. Attendees also walked away with a variety of resources such as podcast, TedTalk, and book recommendations, tips for where to find internship opportunities at Hulu, and even websites to support project management. As Ginger Green from the �鶹��Ƶ Detroit shared, “Hulupalooza is a great example of how corporations can make a difference in the virtual world we are all living in. The Detroit AmeriCorps members were excited to mix up their Basic Training Academy with some expert advice from real world professionals at Hulu!”

One major theme that presented itself from the very start of the week was the idea that there are many paths one can take to get to where they aspire to be. At the start of every session, panelists introduced themselves and shared the story of how they came to work at Hulu in their current position. Some panelists described working their way up to their current position by starting from the bottom working as an intern, while others described building their personal brand outside of the company and landing their job at Hulu by chance. Getting to hear everyone’s personal journey reinforced the idea that no matter where someone starts, if they have persistence and determination, they can accomplish any goal they put their mind to.

Panelists also emphasized having a core support system in one’s professional network that can serve as a resource and a guide, especially when there may be uncertainty surrounding a career path, project at work, setting goals, etc. Having that extra community in the professional space is extremely beneficial because they can continue to push you, lift you up when you are down, and ultimately help you accomplish your goals. They also encouraged participants to keep trying even why they fail, and to always be persistent, because one never knows when the next opportunity will arise. Especially in a time where there is so much uncertainty, where everyone is having to adapt to a new way of life and having to learn how to work virtually, it was very humbling to hear from accomplished professionals that they too have had to overcome struggles to get to where they are today.

“Thank you for giving �鶹��Ƶ a closer look into the ins and outs of Hulu. This was a great chance to explore different opportunities that were outside my point of view and interest. You shed light into careers that I didn’t even know existed. Thank you for everything. This was truly a great experience!” – Zack Latade, a recent �鶹��Ƶ Los Angeles alum

We are extremely grateful to Hulu and their entire team for supporting the �鶹��Ƶ Los Angeles Leadership After �鶹��Ƶ (LACY) program. Thank you for showing the importance of attending career workshops and events like Hulupalooza. Providing this networking opportunity in the virtual space is extremely beneficial, especially for AmeriCorps members who are starting to think about life after �鶹��Ƶ.