By Maggie Biunno

The first weekend of February was unusually warm for Long Island, with temperatures nearly reaching 50 degrees. But for Veronica Gerosimo, a senior public relations major, sociology minor and president of Hofstra Concerts, that was just not hot enough. Of course, taking a cruise hosted by John Mayer was probably a major reason that she jetted off to Miami.

After waiting nearly eight months, Gerosimo indulged in a paradise of palm trees and left Florida to spend a weekend aboard the Mayercraft Carrier (courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines) with more than 2000 other John Mayer fan club members to Freeport in the Bahamas. The adventure was jam-packed with concerts, including other musical talents such as Colbie Caillat. Gerosimo was proudly positioned front row for Mayer’s perfomance.

Gerosimo is not a stranger to the music industry and in this competitive field, she knew she needed to get involved to make it. During her freshman year, Gerosimo interacted with the executive board members for Hofstra Concerts, one of two main entertainment-based groups on campus since the 1970s.

Gerosimo started as a general member, but had a bigger plan in mind. She stuck with the organization and had her first concert experience on campus with Dashboard Confessional. Working as a member of the crew and a runner, Gerosimo responded to the needs of the band and its staff. Getting ice might seem like a trivial task, but somewhere between helping to change the stage between acts and falling into the flow of a “hectic” day of show, Gerosimo found her fit.

At the end of the spring semester, she proved her dedication by winning the election for the position of secretary of Hofstra Concerts. “I wanted to be everything,” Gerosimo laughed. “I think I ran for like three things.”

As secretary during her sophomore year, she took charge of press passes for the shows and had her first chance to meet the band Straylight Run. Several shows and coffee houses later, the time came for elections again.

This time Gerosimo reached for the top and was successful once again. As president for her junior and senior year, she arranged two Verizon Wireless tours on campus, featuring All-American Rejects and Gym Class Heroes, and started an annual Hofstra Music Fest, which featured the RX Bandits. Just last semester, she brought Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco to perform in Hofstra USA.

Gerosimo said the countless hours, more than spent in class, working for Hofstra Concerts taught her about group work-an important skill for the working world. But for pursuing her calling in the music industry, experience in booking events does not come out of a textbook.

“I actually can get out, make phone calls, set up meetings and work contracts-as opposed to just learning about them,” Gerosimo said. “You really can’t beat that.”

While you cannot learn everything through involvement with a club, it is the perfect opportunity to apply what you have learned in class.

“Veronica is eager to understand the fundamentals of what it is going to take to succeed,” said Victoria Geyer, assistant professor of public relations, who had Gerosimo as a student in the Fundamentals of Public Relations and last semester in Copywriting.

Geyer explained that Gerosimo brings up questions pertaining to her club involvement to share real-life examples with the class. And that is exactly what Gerosimo has been doing because it is important for her to get every detail right. As the “face and name of Hofstra Concerts, if anything happens I’m the one that gets praised or berated,” Gerosimo said.

Somehow, between 10 to 12 hours of work a week in the computer labs and a full class schedule, Gerosimo has time to be treasurer of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), where she works on a regular basis alongside PRSSA president and friend, Rachel Zabinski.

Zabinski has been impressed “seeing that she balance both [Hofstra Concerts and PRSSA]-I sometimes have trouble as president and I’m not even doing two things.”

While some students viewed the summer as time to take a breather, Gerosimo kept bustling along. Zooey Tidal, assistant director of public relations at Jazz at Lincoln Center, said that it always helps to be involved with activities that can add to the internship experience. Tidal said her involvement with Hofstra Concerts and PRSSA played a role in human resources’ decision to select her for a coveted paid internship in the field of communications.

Gerosimo expanded the role of “intern” when she learned about the entire organization, not just her department, so that she could represent it with experience and knowledge. “Her interactions and communication with others are effective,” Tidal said. “She is dedicated when working on a project she believes in and challenges herself when need be. It wasn’t uncommon for me to receive an e-mail from her about a new idea for a new campaign. Veronica is always thinking.”

Gerosimo has come a long way from the girl who wanted to be a pediatrician.

“It was a very sad day for my dad when I told him I didn’t want to be a doctor,” Gerosimo said. “But he’s getting over it.”

The public relations team at the University claims you can “find your edge” here on campus, but to do that, one must take advantage of extra curricular activities. Classes teach skills, but to land the internship and eventually the job, employers want to see how you have used the past four years to apply them to your life.

As for Gerosimo, she believes she really has found her “edge.”

“I found what I love and people who love the same thing as me,” Gerosimo said. “I don’t think I would have as concrete goals for my future and I highly doubt that I would have gone in the direction of live music if it weren’t for Hofstra Concerts.”

Gerosimo in front of her desk at the Hofstra Concerts office. (Maggie Biunno)