Institute for Entertainment, Media, and Sports to Make a New Home At Pepperdine Graziadio Business School

Institute to Focus on Digital Transformation of Creative Economy

For more than six years, the Institute for Entertainment, Media, and Sports (IEMS) at Pepperdine University has partnered with industry to advance curriculum and thought leadership in the creative economy for the benefit of professionals, students, and alumni in Southern California and around the world. Today, Pepperdine University announced IEMS will now be housed at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School to support the school’s emphasis on these key industries.

“Immersive interactive experiences, streaming entertainment, and the Metaverse were just ideas only a few years ago. Today, they are real business forces driving the industry forward,” said Claudio Ludovisi, assistant dean of marketing, strategy, and corporate relations at Pepperdine Graziadio. “The Institute for Entertainment, Media, and Sports is well positioned in the business school as these areas take on greater influence in business and the world.”

IEMS has inspired thought leadership on the creative, business, and legal areas of media, entertainment, and sports with several initiatives—including research on industry trends and talent needs via the annual Media & Entertainment Data in America report. IEMS has created new opportunities and connections for the Pepperdine community through student-executive mentoring (“Menternships”), classroom interaction with industry leaders, events, and coordination of activities with student clubs across schools.

Under the leadership of Nelson Granados, PhD, executive director of IEMS and an all-star advisory board of industry executives, IEMS will continue to deliver a strong portfolio of curricular and extracurricular business programs and industry research based on market needs. The experiences and resources of IEMS will remain available for all University students interested in entertainment, media, and sports across business, legal, and creative programs.

“For many years, the Institute for Entertainment, Media, and Sports has served as a hub in the entertainment capital of the world by connecting students, alumni, academics, and industry experts,” said Granados. “We will continue to be a pathway for students universitywide to join the next generation of business-savvy leaders and creative entrepreneurs.”

IEMS will also seek to bolster pathways to employment and leadership opportunities in entertainment, media, and sports locally and abroad. For 2022, IEMS under the Graziadio School has partnered with two organizations that are leading the way in the digital transformation of the industry: the Hollywood IT Society (HITS) and OTT.X. The Graziadio School will participate in a Research Roundup at the OTT.X Summit on August 31. IEMS is also partnering with HITS on the Entertainment Evolution Symposium, a leading conference focused on the impact of technology and analytics in entertainment, media, and sports, which will be held on September 21.

To learn more about IEMS, please visit our new website and engage with us on social media.

About Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School

For more than 50 years, the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School has challenged individuals to think boldly and drive meaningful change within their industries and communities. Dedicated to developing Best for the World Leaders, the Graziadio School offers a comprehensive range of MBA, MS, executive, and doctoral degree programs grounded in integrity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The Graziadio School advances experiential learning through small classes with distinguished faculty that stimulate critical thinking and meaningful connection, inspiring students and working professionals to realize their greatest potential as values-centered leaders. Follow Pepperdine Graziadio on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220712005027/en/