The gathering was a prime example of how networking brings people together for a single purpose.

Casey Gold, junior arts, entertainment and media management major and marketing communication minor, worked with members of the Student Government Association and the Student Affairs Committee to organize the only student-to-student, campus-wide networking event on Dec. 1.

According to Gold, the main purpose of the event was to bring students from different departments together so they might be have the opportunity to collaborate on future projects.

It took place at the 1104 Center, 1104 S. Wabash Ave., and featured a disc jockey, speaker from the Chicago Reader, free food and drinks.

Columbia students always have projects to do, and they can benefit from enlisting the help of students in other departments to get those projects done as well, said Erica Quinn, junior marketing communication major and minor, who hosted the event.

She said her friendship with Gold got her the job.

Zack Berinstein, junior music major and founder of ColumCollab—a newly formed student organization that aims to improve cross-campus collaboration—had a booth featured at the event. Berinstein contacted Gold because he thought the event was a natural fit to advertise

his group.

“I see fliers up all the time, but there’s not a real integrated way of collaborating,” Berinstein said. “Collaboration should be easy and constant. I want to see a band marketed by AEMM students with media campaigns by graphic designers, [but] this stuff isn’t happening that much.”

Kristen Kaza, marketing director for the Chicago Reader, was invited to speak at the event by Gold and has a friendship with Quinn as well.

“If you forge a good connection, follow up—but just as important—follow through,” Kaza said about networking. “Set a date to get together if it’s appropriate.”

That was exactly what Quinn did when she met Kaza last December.

“Because of [Kaza’s] willingness to listen and help me, I have been able to be part of a lot of great experiences,” Quinn said.

One of those experiences included an internship at Time Out Chicago.

According to Kaza, effective networking is a four-step process that includes researching and reading, making the connection, following up and following through.

“You have to be able to make a personal connection,” Kaza said. “Play to their vanity and their humanity.”

This means make an emotional connection, she said.

Nikki Butler, senior radio major, met Gold at a party. They made a connection and both followed through.

“I told [Gold] I was a deejay, I gave him my business card, which has a link to my site with my mixes on it, and he was like, ‘I love you! You have to deejay,’” Butler said. “So networking, even when you’re off campus, is good to do.  At parties, just talk to people.”

According to Quinn, being good at networking means having the confidence to put yourself out there and let people see what you have to offer.

“You have your abilities for a reason,” Quinn said. “Let people know what your talents are, let them know your ideas. If they feel you, they’ll link up with you, and it’ll happen.”