The first annual Binghamton Media Summit will be held on the Binghamton University campus next week to give students an inside look at what it takes to begin a successful career in communications and media.

The event, which will be held on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. in room 133 of the Old University Union, is being co-sponsored by the Career Development Center (CDC) and Binghamton’s Hillel.

“This is the first major media communications event at BU,” said senior finance major Richie Hecker, producer of the event. “We want to attract as many students as possible and help students with an interest in media make a career out of it.”

Jackie Farber, JCSC (Jewish Campus Service Corps) fellow at Hillel, agreed that the Media Summit will allow students to get a jump start on a career in media and communications.

“It’s one of the only opportunities on campus for students to network and learn what steps to take to pursue a career in this area,” she said. “The campus doesn’t provide any outlet for that, and we want to show the campus that it’s necessary.”

During the event, media executives will speak about their experiences and paths to success, while providing guidance and advice to students interested in television, film, print, radio, interactive media and video game design. There will also be opportunities to engage in one-on-one networking.

Three panelists scheduled to speak at the event are Jodi Nussbaum, group vice president of Sesame Street Productions, Matthew Schlanger, president of a video game firm, and Andrew Moskowitz, publisher of one of the largest online advertising publications. More media professionals from the Binghamton area are also expected to speak at the event.

Hecker is hoping the Media Summit will be the first step in inspiring BU to create a media and communications department. Students currently interested in pursuing a major in media or communications only have the option of the Individualized Major Program (IMP) in communications and media studies.

“We have the Hillel newspaper, other campus newspapers, the radio station and more,” Farber said. “And the fact that BU doesn’t provide any way of teaching students how to pursue careers in these media and communication fields is inappropriate.”

Both Hecker and Farber expect that the Media Summit will become an annual event, attracting more students each year and even bigger company names as panelists. However, the first annual Media Summit has already received an enthusiastic student response.

“About 60 students have responded to attend the event so far,” said Hecker. “I approximate that about 1,500 BU students are interested in media and communications, and we expect a crowd of at least 150.”

To R.S.V.P. for the Media Summit, e-mail bingmedia@gmail.com. For more information contact Richie Hecker at Rhecker@gmail.com or Bill McCarthy, associate director of the CDC, at Bmccarth@binghamton.edu.