The MPA partnered with the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program (EICOP) to launch the MPA-EICOP Entertainment Law & Policy Fellowship — an entertainment-focused law and policy program that is dedicated to advancing the cause of diversity, inclusion, and equity in the entertainment industry.
This prestigious program ensures the best and brightest students have the opportunity to participate in the entertainment industry, regardless of their background, by providing selected Fellows with housing, travel, and stipends to participate in the year-long program.
Fellows will gain relevant experience working at the MPA as well as its member studios and interact with senior executives and policymakers, while building the skills needed to prepare them to be the next generation of law and policy leaders in the entertainment industry.
About the Fellowship
The Entertainment Law & Policy Fellowship is the first entertainment-focused law and policy program of its kind. Two dynamic students who have demonstrated an interest in entertainment law or entertainment policy, along with a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the entertainment industry, will be selected as Fellows during each annual period.
The year-long program is an immersive and bi-coastal educational experience in Los Angeles and Washington, DC that hones the skills needed to prepare for future roles in the law and policy fields. The program enables Fellows to:
- Interface with MPA Policy and Legal executives to understand the entertainment landscape and various roles
- Gain relevant practical experience through MPA member studios (Disney, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, Universal, and Netflix)
- Interact and network with senior-level industry executives and policymakers while building the skills necessary to prepare for future law and policy leadership
Fellows are required to complete by the end of the Fellowship’s term a capstone project on an industry-related topic of their choosing that they are expected to research and work on throughout the course of the Fellowship.
Meet the 2023-24 MPA-EICOP Entertainment Law & Policy Fellows
Alberto Lugo
Alberto LugoUCLA School of Law ‘22
Alberto Lugo received his J.D. in 2022 from the UCLA School of Law with specializations in Media, Entertainment, & Technology Law and Policy and Critical Race Studies. He is a first-generation college graduate and the only person in his family to have gone to law school. While in law school, he was active in the Latinx Law Students’ Association and the Mexican-American Bar Association of Los Angeles County.
Samantha Wauls
Samantha WaulsUniversity of New Mexico School of Law ’22
Samantha Wauls, a 2022 graduate from the University of New Mexico School of Law, is African American and Lakota-Lower Brule Sioux Tribe (descendant). Wauls has worked with Indigenous communities, both as a crime victim advocate focusing on the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives and as a teacher in her tribal community. She is also a first-generation college graduate and the first in her family to earn a law degree.
Qualifications & Eligibility
The Fellowship is open to anyone who has:
- An interest in entertainment policy or entertainment law;
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the entertainment industry; and
- Recently obtained, or will have obtained, a J.D., Master of Public Policy, or other related advanced degree.
The Fellowship is open to all applicants, regardless of race, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, sexual identity, disability status, or any other category protected by law. MPA encourages all qualified applicants to apply.
How to Apply
Applications for the 2024-25 MPA-EICOP fellowship period are NOW OPEN! Click here to apply.
Watch the following virtual informational session for more information on the Fellowship and how to apply:
Timeline
- October 10, 2023: Application process opens
- January 5, 2024: Application process closes (11:59 pm PT)
- April 2024: Selected Fellows announced
- May 28, 2024: Fellowship rotation in MPA LA begins
- August 12, 2024: Fellowship rotation in MPA DC begins
- January 2025: Fellowship rotation for 5 months at TBD Member Studios (Los Angeles, CA)
- May 23, 2025: Fellowship ends
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is eligible?
The Fellowship is open to anyone who has an interest in entertainment policy or entertainment law; has demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the entertainment industry; and has recently obtained, or will have obtained, a J.D., Master of Public Policy, or other related advanced degree.
The Fellowship is open to all applicants, regardless of race, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, sexual identity, disability status, or any other category protected by law.
How long is the program?
This is a one-year fellowship that runs from May 28, 2024, until May 23, 2025.
Is housing provided?
Yes, housing will be fully provided for the entirety of the program, in both Los Angeles and Washington, DC.
Will I receive a stipend as a Fellow?
Yes, you will receive a stipend for housing, travel, and other expenses related to the Fellowship, and living expenses.
What is the timeline for applications?
The application portal opened on October 10, 2023, and will close at 11:59 p.m. PST on January 5, 2024.
Will I work directly with studios?
Yes, fellows will have opportunities to gain experience directly from the MPA’s member studios, including spending the last five months of the fellowship working at one of the studios.
Do I have any input on what studio I will be working with?
Preferences for placement with a particular studio will be considered but cannot be guaranteed.
What is the cut-off for recent graduates?
Spring 2022 to Spring 2024.
Will I have to time to prepare for and take the bar exam?
Fellows will be given a minimum of two weeks to prepare for and take the bar exam, and will be permitted to take intermittent time away from the fellowship for bar prep courses and to study through the end of July.
About the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program
EICOP is a non-profit educational arts workforce development program, dedicated to educating, training, and recruiting the best and brightest diverse student leaders from our nation’s Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions for careers across all aspects of the entertainment, media, sports, music, and technology industries.
Its signature program, HBCU in LA, was launched in partnership with then-President Obama’s White House Initiative on HBCUs. Since its launch, the MPA has served as an important partner creating access for students across the country, who are dedicated to ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry, to participate in this important pipeline development initiative.