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  • Sony Music Group Welcomes Second Cohort of SMG Impact Fellows
  • Sep 29, 2022
Sony Music Group Welcomes Second Cohort of SMG Impact Fellows

This summer, Sony Music Group (SMG) proudly welcomed the second cohort of the SMG Impact Fellows Program. This program launched in 2021, when Sony Music Group became the first music industry partner of the 4A’s Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP). This year, to continue accelerating and strengthening Sony Music Group’s efforts to recruit, develop, and retain diverse entry-level talent, the program expanded to welcome more fellows from additional diverse talent partners including American Indigenous Business Leaders (AIBL), HBCU in LA, Out4Undergrad and Scholarships Plus. 

This second cohort of SMG Impact Fellows was comprised of nine multicultural and multidisciplinary fellows—almost double the size of the inaugural cohort—working across several Sony Music Group teams including International Marketing, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Philanthropy & Social Impact, Film & TV, Premium Content and Early Career. 

“Being part of the 2021 SMG Impact Fellow Program accelerated my career by providing me a network in and outside of Sony Music and various opportunities to grow as a young professional. Now, I work full-time at Sony Music with the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and it’s a surreal feeling to be leading the programming for this year’s cohort,” says Madilyne Nguyen-Acosta, a 2021 SMG Impact Fellow, and Specialist with SMG’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

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 their host organization. 

According to Tessa Sayers, Director of Marketing and Program Development at American Indigenous Business Leaders (AIBL), the partnership between AIBL and SMG has helped propel indigenous students in their professional careers, “AIBL thoroughly enjoyed partnering with Sony Music Group this year. They provided a platform and space for two of our indigenous students to thrive and connect with highly professional and encouraging individuals. I tracked our student’s progress weekly during their internship and the feedback received was fantastic. Their Sony managers and teammates were invested in their learning, experience, and growth over the summer. Both of our students were offered extensions at the end of their internship.”  

Throughout the internship term, Fellows receive additional support and training from their host organization including virtual training, professional development opportunities, access to diverse resources and exclusive events for networking across marketing, advertising, and entertainment industries. Fellows also engage in exclusive SMG programming like attending office tours on the Sony Lot in Culver City, LA, and the headquarters in NYC, listening to panel conversations with host-organization alum, and participating in a special Q&A session with members of Sony Music Group leadership. 

International Marketing intern, Francis Amponsah, returned to Sony Music Group this summer as a 2022 Impact Fellow, after previously working with Sony Music’s Corporate Communications team. As an SMG Impact Fellow, Amponsah learned about a new segment of the business, “One of the highlights of the role is the real-world experience that I’ve gained in marketing by assisting the four digital project managers that I work with,” shares Amponsah. “This is an experience that is broadening my knowledge of the music industry from a marketing perspective because I get to work with colleagues that have different leadership styles and work with different regions and markets.”  

To read more about what our SMG Impact Fellows accomplished this summer, check back every Monday through mid-November to read our #LifeAtSonyMusic 2022 Impact Fellows article series. 

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