Lollapalooza Provides Students Valuable Festival Work Experience Thanks to Alum

Campus Communications Staff / Aug 03, 2023

lolla sign in grant park
photo of group in front of both at lollapaloozaFrom left to right: Monika Jaiswal-Oliver, Emily Sorlie ‘10, Jacob Paul (who works with Barnstorm), Jerry Brindisi, and Barnstorm Founder Farid Mosher.
Columbia students will be working at the four-day music festival thanks to an alum’s business relationship with one of the largest concert promoters in the United States.

Columbia College Chicago will once again enjoy a front row seat to Lollapalooza, a four-day music festival in Chicago’s Grant Park that begins August 3. And, as in years past, the festival will leverage the talents of the Columbia community working in – and aspiring to work in – music and event-producing industries.  

This year, this includes more than 22 students — most of whom take classes in Columbia’s Business and Entrepreneurship department. They will be working at Lollapalooza thanks to Business and Entrepreneurship Alumna Emily Sorlie ’10. Sorlie’s event company Barnstorm, is hired by C3 Presents — one of the largest concert promoters in the United States — for events like Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and Austin City Limits.  

Partnering with Monika Jaiswal-Oliver, the academic manager and an adjunct faculty member in Columbia’s Business and Entrepreneurship department, Sorlie hired Columbia students to work at Lollapalooza. There, they will operate guest service booths, support gate operations, and participate in the SAFEFEST team — an initiative that encourages attendees to ask for help and promotes a safe festival experience for all.  

“This opportunity aligns with what students aspire to be doing when they attend Columbia in search of a career,” says Jerry Brindisi, chair of Business and Entrepreneurship. “They get to work closely with a well-established team/organization on one of the largest music festivals in the world. They make connections, develop lasting relationships, and get the opportunity to build their resume/portfolio. This is a testament to the success of the relationship we've fostered over the years with C3 Presents, our alumni, and our students.” 

Listen to Lolla-Inspired Playlists on WCRX-FM

Can’t get to Lollapalooza? Listen to Lolla-inspired playlists on Columbia’s student-led radio station WCRX-FM 88.1 each night of the festival from 10 p.m. to Midnight.  

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