Kyle Vande Beek

  • Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
  • Graduation year: May 2015
  • Company position and title: The Ellen DeGeneres Show; Integrations Coordinator, Branded Content and Partnerships
  • STCO Concentration: Integrated

Why TCU

I fell in love with TCU as soon as I stepped on the campus! Beautiful campus, small classes and incredible school spirit — what more could you want? TCU was the perfect size to allow me to fully participate in my education and feel safe to explore.

Why Strategic Communication?

I’ve always loved telling stories and the feeling of closing a sale. I think that STCO students are all innate storytellers and they use their talents to give life and emotion to brands. Choosing Strategic Communication was one of the easiest choices I made in college.

What does your typical day consist of?

The one thing I will say about the world of production is that there is no “typical” day. It is an ever-changing dance routine, but typically my day starts with a morning production meeting where everybody who works on The Show gathers to discuss the show taping that day. After the morning meeting, I respond to client e-mails and assure that every brand that is working with The Show feels like they are completely taken care of. ELLEN tapes in the afternoons, so halfway through the day I’m usually backstage making sure our integrations are going off
without a hitch and entertaining clients.

Advice for STCO students to focus on to be better prepared for the work world?

Get organized, develop a routine and read about the industry you hope to work in!

How did I make it a reality?

I begged people for 10 minutes on the phone! Growing up in LA, I was lucky to have a network of family and friends that could help me get my foot in the door. I got my job after a phone call that was supposed to be a 15-minute informational on branded entertainment turned into an hour-long phone interview.

Any tips for Ellen fans trying to get tickets?

Just keep swimming! Tickets roll out in cycles, so check the website frequently.