Melanie Prado

Class of 2026

Currently Studying: Arts and Entertainment Management

Current Internship Position: Inclusion Outreach Intern

Company: Warner Bros. Discovery

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How has the Lubin School of Business helped you prepare for your current internship?

Lubin has helped prepare me for this internship through courses within the Arts and Entertainment Management program and through real-world, concept-based projects. These experiences strengthened my ability to collaborate in teams, communicate ideas clearly, and think strategically in creative environments—skills that translate directly to the fast-paced setting of my internship.

What attracted you to this internship?

As an Arts and Entertainment Management Major, I’ve always been passionate about storytelling in the entertainment industry. During my third year, I served as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Student Assistant and realized I found a space I wanted to explore further. This role blends my passion for storytelling with my drive to make an impact in the inclusion space—it was truly a no-brainer.

When I came across this opportunity at Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), it felt like the perfect fit. I knew that learning from an industry leader like WBD would be invaluable.

Describe what a typical day looks like in this role.

A typical day includes coffee chats, moving around the Park Avenue South office, and participating in collaborative meetings. I often jump between team discussions, assist with event planning, and connect with departments across the company. No two days are the same—and that’s what I love most. I’m constantly learning, whether I’m observing how things operate behind the scenes or diving into hands-on projects. There are always exciting moments woven in too, like Pride Month celebrations, mixers, or internal screenings of upcoming films.

What has been the highlight or most enjoyable aspect of your internship so far?

Without a doubt—the people. I’ve learned so much from the stories, expertise, and kindness shared by those at WBD. It’s been incredibly refreshing to feel seen and supported in such a large company. Speaking with inspiring voices across the industry has made a lasting impact. The community here has been the true highlight of this experience.

How has this experience shaped or impacted your career goals?

This experience has brought me incredible clarity. I’ve always wanted to work in entertainment, but now I know I want to be in spaces where purpose and people come first. I’ve seen firsthand that if you stay genuine, work hard, and remain curious, you can go far. I’d love to continue working in the inclusion space and help tell meaningful stories within it.

I’ve seen firsthand that if you stay genuine, work hard, and remain curious, you can go far. I’d love to continue working in the inclusion space and help tell meaningful stories within it.

How do you plan to apply what you’ve learned during this internship to your next semester at Lubin?

So many of the terms and concepts I hear in meetings show up in class, so I’m excited to bridge those connections. I’ll return to Lubin with a deeper understanding of behind-the-scenes operations and a clearer view of how to apply classroom learning to real-world contexts.

Do you have any advice for other Lubin students who are looking to pursue internships in the future?

Absolutely. Stay curious, stay resilient, and never count yourself out. Remind yourself that the opportunities that once felt out of reach are absolutely possible. Use every resource available to you, challenge yourself, and stay focused on your goals. It will be worth it—and without a doubt, you’ll grow into the role you’ve been working toward.

Connect with Melanie:

• Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn

The 2025 AI Internship Experience (AIIE) at Pace University’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems recently concluded, offering students two weeks of immersive, hands-on learning in one of today’s most transformative technologies: artificial intelligence.

Run by Dr. Christelle Scharff, Seidenberg Professor, Associate Dean, and Co-Director of the Seidenberg AI Lab, in collaboration with Seidenberg faculty member Dr. Kaleema and graduate assistant Stephanie Sicilian (MS in Computer Science), this year’s program provided 18 selected students with an intensive introduction to core AI topics, including machine learning, deep learning, and multimodal generative AI.

The curriculum for the program’s second edition was influenced by Dr. Scharff’s recent attendance at industry-leading events, emphasizing cutting-edge tools and techniques in AI development. “I had a fantastic time putting the program together alongside my colleagues,” Dr. Scharff added. “The content was highly inspired by my attendance at events like Google I/O and Google Cloud Next.”

Interns worked on real-world projects that involved image classification, hyperparameter tuning, and experimental applications using Gemini, Google's suite of generative AI tools. Just like last year when student projects varied from developing AI models that could classify and generate images of different butterfly species to creating a model that could recognize different Pokémon, the 2025 AI Internship Experience projects were just as creative. One team developed a model that specialized in AI-assisted comic generation, while some of the other teams’ models ranged from dream analysis to developing tools that help users learn new languages.

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The interns also participated in many programs outside of the classroom. They attended a Google Developer Group (GDG) on Campus presentation held in the Design Factory space on Pace’s New York City Campus and they engaged with industry professionals through various networking activities. Resume and LinkedIn workshops were also built into the program, along with explorations of New York City culture to round out the experience.

The program culminated in final presentations of the students’ classification and generative AI projects. “The Gemini projects were particularly creative and varied,” said Scharff. “Congratulations to all the interns for their impressive work and I am looking forward to more opportunities to work with them all!”

With the success of the 2025 edition, the AI Internship Experience continues to grow as a great summer opportunity for Pace students eager to push the boundaries of innovation and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges. As Dr. Scharff noted when the program was launched last year, “we wanted to create a safe environment where our interns can explore and experience all different paths that working with AI can offer. It is a program that is very innovative, that is for the next generation.”

It has been thirty-five years since Pace men’s soccer last competed in Pleasantville. That will change in fall 2025, when the program returns to the pitch at Northwell Stadium under the leadership of head coach Edward Evans.

In the 1990 season—the final year before the sport was removed from the athletics catalogue—Pace competed in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC). The program will rejoin intercollegiate competition in fall 2025 as a member of the Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference.

“This upcoming season is more than just the return of men’s soccer—it’s the start of a new legacy at Pace,” said Evans. “Our student-athletes understand the weight of this moment, and they’re ready to represent the University.”

With a full eighteen-game schedule, the Blue and Gold will open the season on September 4 against Goldey-Beacom College at 3:30 p.m. For much of the season, Pace will enjoy home-field advantage at Northwell Stadium, hosting eleven of its eighteen regular-season matches. The program will also feature four promotional events during the season, including Alumni Day, Quickstrike FC Night, Blue Out, and participation in Homecoming festivities alongside Pace Goes Pink.

“We’re not just stepping back onto the field,” Evans added. “We’re building a program that honors the past while aiming for a bold future.”

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Pace men’s soccer will also field a developmental team in 2025, which will compete in a ten-game schedule, in addition to two preseason contests.

For the full schedule of Men's Soccer and updates, visit the Pace Athletics website.

Pace men’s and women’s lacrosse concluded a successful 2025 campaign, with both teams earning Northeast-10 (NE10) postseason appearances and bids to their respective NCAA tournaments.

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The men’s lacrosse program celebrated its fortieth season in 2025, finishing the milestone year with an 11–5 overall record and a 6–2 mark in conference play. The Blue and Gold were nationally ranked throughout the season, reaching as high as No. 4 for consecutive weeks, and secured the No. 3 seed in the NE10 postseason tournament. The team also set a program record for most consecutive home wins with eight, following a 19–3 victory over Franklin Pierce on March 18.

Pace defeated Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in the NE10 quarterfinal round with a 16–14 win, advancing to the semifinals. Though the Setters fell to Adelphi in the semifinal matchup, they earned a second straight appearance in the NCAA North Regional Tournament, hosted at Northwell Stadium.

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The women’s lacrosse team continued its reign as a top contender in the NE10. The Setters finished in a three-way tie for first place with New Haven and Adelphi, earning recognition as NE10 “tri-regular season champions.” Thanks to a +1 goal differential—boosted by a four-goal win over Adelphi earlier in the season—Pace secured the No. 1 seed in the postseason tournament.

The women returned to the NE10 championship game after defeating SNHU and Saint Anselm College, then entered the NCAA East Regional Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

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Collectively, both programs produced eleven All-Americans: five honored by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) and six by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA).

For full schedules and updates, visit the Pace Athletics website.

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With the 2025 fall season for Pace Athletics set to kick off on August 30 with football’s opening day, the department has announced several coaching changes and additions ahead of the new academic year. Football enters a new era under the leadership—and return—of Chad Walker, while men’s soccer welcomes its first head coach since reinstatement, and women’s soccer promotes its 2024 associate head coach.

Walker, who previously served as offensive coordinator for the football program from 2014 to 2016—during which time he recruited some of the most well-known names in Pace football history, including Jalen Bien-Aime, Jah’Sheem Martin, and Prince Unaegbu—returns to lead the team for the 2025 campaign.

“We are fired up to come back home to Pace University, a place that we hold dear to our hearts,” Walker said. “I've always believed that Pace University was one of the most underrated universities in the country and has so much to offer students—from diverse academic curriculum and career preparation to internship opportunities and the best location in the world.”

Pace football will kick off the fall season for the department with a nonconference matchup against Saint Anselm College at Northwell Stadium on August 30 at 5:00 p.m. Looking ahead to the season, Walker shared his vision: “This season is about raising our standard—not just talking about excellence but living it every day. I’m most looking forward to seeing our guys grow as athletes, teammates, and men.”

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On the soccer side of Pace Athletics, Edward Evans—who was part of the women’s coaching staff for eleven seasons—was named head coach of the men’s program in January 2025. Brittany Soto, previously associate head coach for women’s soccer, has been promoted to lead the women’s team.

Evans and Pace’s first official men’s soccer roster in thirty-five years will compete in a full eighteen-game Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference schedule. Their first contest is scheduled for September 4 at 3:30 p.m. at Northwell Stadium against Goldey-Beacom College.

“I am excited to bring back the men’s soccer program for the first time since 1990,” said Evans. “It’s an honor to be a part of it, and the support we’ve already received from the soccer community has been incredible.”

Soto joined Pace in fall 2024 as associate head coach for the women’s soccer program. As of January 2025, she has been promoted to head coach and will make her debut on September 5 at 5:00 p.m. at Northwell Stadium against Georgian Court University.

She brings with her a résumé spanning fifteen years at the club and high school levels. In 2021 and 2022, she led the Hopkins School team in Connecticut to the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) quarterfinals, and in 2015, was named Head Coach of the Year with the Knoxville Crush.

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“I am truly honored for the incredible opportunity to lead the women’s soccer program and deeply grateful to Coach Evans for his mentorship this past season,” Soto said. “With a rich history and a strong foundation laid by those before me, this program stands on a legacy of excellence. I look forward to building upon that tradition, working closely with our players, and guiding the team toward continued success.”

For full schedules and updates, visit the Pace Athletics website.

The 2025 season for Pace University softball was nothing short of historic. Under the leadership of head coach Claudia Stabile, now in her forty-fourth season, the Setters rewrote the program’s record books and reached the NCAA Division II Championship for the first time in school history.

After a solid start in late February, including early-season sweeps of Fairmont State and Shippensburg, Pace faced adversity during a tough West Coast road trip in March, dropping six straight contests. What followed, however, became the defining stretch of their season—and one of the most dominant runs in all of Division II softball this year.

Beginning with a pair of home wins over Dominican University on March 23, the Setters rattled off twenty-seven consecutive victories, a program record that stretched over five weeks. The streak featured series sweeps, walk-off wins, and shutouts, culminating in a perfect 20–0 record in Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference play. The Setters controlled games from start to finish, eventually climbing to No. 14 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) national rankings.

Pace went 31–2 at home and capped the regular season by sweeping Southern New Hampshire, Saint Anselm, and Saint Michael’s, securing the top seed in the NE10 Tournament. There, they continued their winning ways, defeating Bentley, Adelphi, and Assumption to claim the NE10 Championship.

In the NCAA East Regional, Pace dispatched D’Youville and St. Thomas Aquinas before topping Bentley again to advance to the NCAA East Super Regional. A nine-inning loss in Game 1 to Wilmington (Del.) nearly halted their momentum, but true to their mindset all spring, the Setters responded. They shut out Wilmington 8–0 in Game 2, then closed out the series with a 5–1 victory to earn their first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Once on the national stage, the Blue and Gold proved they belonged among the country’s best. After a narrow 3–2 loss to Central Oklahoma, the Setters bounced back with a 2–0 win over Shippensburg and a thrilling 2–1, ten-inning victory over Saginaw Valley State. They ultimately fell just one game short of the national championship series, closing the year with a 4–2 semifinal loss to Tampa.

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Statistically, the Setters were among the nation’s elite, finishing with a 48–13 overall record and a program-best national ranking of No. 4. Ace pitcher Gisselle Garcia turned in a historic season, going 30–6 with a 0.73 ERA and 400 strikeouts. Offensively, Pace was led by Riley Jenkins (.354 BA, 32 RBIs), Willa Poplawski (.344 BA, 41 RBIs), and Brianna Shea (.293 BA, 33 RBIs). As a team, they outscored opponents 257–102 while setting a multitude of program records.

The team collected a slew of accolades, including All-American, All-Region, All-Conference, and Academic All-District honors. Garcia became the program’s first NFCA First-Team All-American and set multiple school records for both single-season and career pitching statistics.

Coach Claudia Stabile led the Setters through a year that forever transformed the program. Known for her exceptional guidance and player-first philosophy, she helped elevate the team into a national contender. In recognition of her impact, she was named NE10 Head Coach of the Year for the second time in her illustrious career. The entire coaching staff was honored as the ATEC/NFCA East Region Coaching Staff of the Year, reflecting their remarkable leadership throughout the season.

The 2025 season was a milestone not only for its results but for the standard it established. A record-setting 48-win campaign, a 27-game win streak, an East Regional title, a conference championship, and a trip to the NCAA Division II semifinals cemented the Setters’ 2025 season as one of the greatest in Pace University athletics history.