“Dance Marathon gave me a great preview of the field I'm pursuing, but nothing would have been possible without all of the committee members' efforts.”
“College is the first true step into the real world,” says Larry Malinconico. “I thought if I’m going to make that step, I’m going to jump in head first.” Indeed he has.
Larry is majoring in Commercial Music, an emphasis program that prepares students for various aspects of the Music industry, including production, recording, and film scoring. This specialized program admits only 15-20 students per year and requires a minor in Business.
Recently, he took his newly acquired classroom learning and put it to use as this year’s event manager of Dance Marathon. To raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network and the College of Medicine, he and 17 other committee members put in a full year’s work, managing the set-up and striking of the Civic Center, coordinating with local businesses, and time lining the event. This “giant 32-hour rock show” was so successful, over $308,000 was raised. Larry says, “It gave me a great preview of the field I’m pursuing, but nothing would have been possible without all of the committee members’ efforts.” He’ll continue gaining experience next year when he serves as the internal director for the 2008 Dance Marathon.
Through his fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau, Larry also gains career experience by serving as the vice president of programming. Every semester, he’s given a portion of the fraternity budget to program “all sorts of events—the annual philanthropic Regatta Wars, the out-of-town formal and semi-formals, socials with sororities, and brotherhood get-togethers.”
He must be very good at handling budgets, as he was recently elected treasurer of the 2008 senior class. The position not only requires managing the class account, but also soliciting for additional funds, all of which are used to bring in speakers, and to pay for the class gift, banquet, and Senior Day. He says, “When I was approached about running for treasurer, I felt honored. FSU has provided me with great opportunities in and out of the classroom, and this was a perfect way to give back.” Although the actual campaigning proved to be “a very stressful process,” he was “fortunate enough to have outstanding peers” who guided him to a successful election.
Graduate school is Larry’s next step. He says, “With a master’s in Music Business, you gain more in-depth knowledge of the industry—finding and marketing talent, managing a band, and all of the legal aspects.”