Inside Sony Music
- Sony Music Group Launches Impact Fellows Program
- Sep 13, 2021
This summer, Sony Music Group, the first music industry partner of the 4A’s Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP), proudly launched the Sony Music Group (SMG) Impact Fellows Program. This bespoke SMG x MAIP partnership will accelerate and strengthen Sony Music Group’s efforts to recruit, develop, and retain diverse entry-level talent. The first cohort of SMG Impact Fellows was comprised of five multicultural and multidisciplinary fellows who worked across several Sony Music teams including International Marketing, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Sony Music Nashville, Provident Label Group, and Philanthropy & Social Impact.
“Sony Music Group is incredibly proud to partner with the 4A’s Foundation MAIP to provide diverse-entry level talent with direct access to the music industry,” says Tiffany R. Warren, Executive Vice President & Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Sony Music Group. “Our inaugural cohort of SMG Impact Fellows brought a breadth of experiences and incredible insights to our organization in just 10 weeks. This partnership is one example of SMG’s intentional focus on developing the next generation of diverse leaders in music and beyond.”
The SMG Impact Fellow program provides diverse young professionals with the unique opportunity to learn about and experience the music industry during a 10-week summer internship, supplemented by several weeks of professional development opportunities and programming from MAIP.
According to Reema Elghossain, Vice President, Talent Equity & Inclusion at 4A’s Foundation, MAIP has provided thousands of young diverse professionals with opportunities across industries for over four decades. Elghossain continues: “Our partnership with Sony Music Group is a continuation of our commitment and enables us to support, advance, and expand diversity and inclusion efforts throughout an incredibly influential, culture-shaping industry. We’re thankful for Sony Music Group’s support and look forward to the evolution of our partnership.”
In advance of the internship term and throughout the summer, fellows participate in over 20 hours of virtual training to prepare for their full-time experience. Throughout the internship term, MAIP collaborates to create custom content for the MAIP cohort, including pairing each fellow with a MAIP coach, hosting biweekly MAIP labs led by industry partners, facilitating summer projects and organizing ‘The Face of Talent’, a week-long series of events at the end of the internship term designed to celebrate diverse talent and to connect fellows to companies actively seeking talent for full-time opportunities.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the first cohort of SMG Impact Fellows,” shares Madilyne Nguyen-Acosta, Sony Music Group Impact Fellow, MAIP 2021 Alum, and SMG Office of DE&I Intern. “Finding out I was going to be working in the music industry was a full circle moment. My mom’s first job was with Sony Electronics back in the day, and my dad has always been in the entertainment industry as a DJ. I knew immediately that this opportunity was perfect for me and was excited to bring my skills and experience to the table. And, the internship ended on a high note, as I’ll be joining Sony Music Group full time in the fall.”
To read more about what our SMG Impact Fellows accomplished this summer, check back every Monday through mid-October to read our #LifeAtSonyMusic Impact Fellows article series (dubbed the SMG Impact Fellows Mix Tape Series).
