By DeAnna Britton, Staff Writer

Adera Douglas-Freeman is nothing short of determined and passionate about her future. Douglas-Freeman, who is a junior marketing major in the Zarb School of Business, plans to run her own music label one day after she works in the industry as a music executive.
Douglas-Freeman is making the most out of her time at the University. She is in the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Honors College and is a member of the Music & Entertainment Industry Student Association (MEISA) and the Collegiate Women of Color club, which brings awareness within communities to unite women of color. It also raises awareness of relationship issues, empowering women of color and to unite women as one.

MEISA is a network club that informs students of the music industry and the internship opportunities available. They also just held a conference that different people in the industry came to speak at and inform students what it’s like to work in Music and Entertainment. “I’ve always wanted to be in the music industry, and looking up to the great music executives such as Clive Davis and L.A. Reid, who’ve helped launch the careers of many successful artists, it’s made me want to be a part of that legacy,” Douglas-Freeman said.

Last semester, Douglas-Freeman interned for the publicity department of Interscope Records. She was very involved in the company events. Some of the tasks she did included helping out on the red carpet for Keri Hilson’s album release party, working for the publicist of the Black Eye Peas and helped out with the set for the David Letterman Show because one of Interscope’s bands were performing. She also got to go to concerts for free. “Even though I lived the life of an intern, I learned a lot out of the experience and worked with people who were willing to teach me,” she said. “If I learned one thing from that internship it would be that it put the icing on the cake that this is what I want to do.”

Douglas-Freeman also works as a Resident Safety Representative. She worked at Debate ‘08 as a media bus volunteer and was a Destination Runway model her freshman year. Although she has accomplished many things, it is just the beginning for her. The thing that most drives and inspires her is herself. “I drive myself. If I don’t believe in myself, who’s going to believe in me? I’ve had inspiration in my life from a lot of people but if you don’t have that inner drive, you don’t have any drive,” she said.

(Photo Courtesy of FONT)