Full Sail Stories

Full Sail University’s campus was brimming with activities during the autumn season. Ranging from celebrations like Día de los Muertos and Halloween costume contests to educational events like Music Industry Talks with Full Sail grads and the BSides Cybersecurity Conference, students, alumni, faculty, and staff had ample opportunities to connect with each other and enjoy the fall vibes.

Here’s a closer look at what the Full Sail community had going on over the last few months.

Halloween Parties

Spooky season isn’t just an excuse to dress up in fun costumes and eat candy, it’s also a time to get together with friends and have a good time. That’s exactly what students got to do at the Spooky Craft Night hosted by the Student Community Association and the Art Club at Full Sail’s student-led performance venue, the Treehouse. They had a cozy evening making autumn-inspired Shrinky Dink keychains and coloring while enjoying music, snacks, and each other’s company.

On October 31, faculty and staff members went all out for the Halloween Costume Contest, held at the Full Sail University Orlando Health Fortress-turned Luigi’s Mansion in the “Dark Universe” inspired by the student-made film of the same name created in Studio V1. Judges awarded third place to Anthony Morello as the Mandalorian, second place to John-Peter Trask as the Phantom of the Opera, and the coveted first place honor to Tamy Phillips as the American Crow.

“We start planning for Halloween months in advance, working to make it an unforgettable experience for our students, staff, and faculty,” said Jen West, Events Management Specialist. “It is a true campus-wide effort, with teams handling everything from graphics and communications to lighting, effects, show flow, and props, all the details that bring the night to life.

“I hope attendees left feeling a deeper sense of connection with each other and with our campus community,” she continued. “More than anything, I wanted the experience to remind them that shared moments of joy create lasting memories.”

Events to Honor Veterans

On November 11, the Military Student Success Center held its annual Veterans Day 5K: Ruck, Run, Walk race around campus, complete with medals, custom dog tags, and refreshments for racers to keep hydrated. The 15th annual Veteran Thanksgiving Dinner also sought to honor military members and their families with a barbecue dinner and raffle prizes, as well as fun activities like karaoke and physical challenges. Both of these events allowed the military-connected community at Full Sail to connect with others and have fun together.

“The Veteran Thanksgiving Dinner is my favorite event that we do each year,” said Drew Bailey, Veteran Student Liaison and Navy veteran. “It is our opportunity to give back to the [military-connected] students and their families. Our team is rewarded each year by the looks on the students’ faces when they enter the event and throughout the night. It is a reminder for why we are here and how important our students are.”

Events with Partners

This fall, TNA Wrestling hosted an event on the Full Sail campus with nine thrilling matches. In the main event, TNA International Champion Steve Maclin and Mike Santana won against TNA World Champion Frankie Kazarian and Nic Nemeth. The matches also aired on TNA+.

WWE’s NXT returned to its birthplace at Full Sail with NXT Homecoming. Before the epic matches, students got to attend panels with WWE wrestlers, executives, and grads. And as the night progressed, the crowd went wild for the superstars, celebrating the partnership between Full Sail and WWE that began in 2012.

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the American Cancer Society hosted a kick-off event at the Full Sail Live venue as a prelude to their Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. Full Sail’s live event and student event crews worked the lighting, sound, and logistics, making it a seamless and enjoyable experience for attendees. The event featured keynote speakers from AdventHealth, bingo, catered food from Carrabba’s Italian Grill, pink drinks from Starbucks, and a flower bouquet bar courtesy of Orlando Health Cancer Institute.

Armada Community Events

Full Sail’s community of both competitive and casual gamers – Armada – had a lot going on this fall, from monthly Club Gatherings and hearing from guest speakers to volunteering with Extra Life to bring joy to kids’ lives through video games.

At Club Gatherings every month, students get together at Armada HQ to connect and play games. They’ll typically play tournament brackets for Super Smash Bros., 2XKO, Mortal Kombat X, and more, and enjoy some friendly competition.

Recently, Armada heard from a couple of industry experts. Matthew “Burns” Potthoff spoke to students in a Discord fireside chat, sharing his experience as a former professional esports player and current VP of Gaming & Creators at PIVOT Agency. On Have Game, Will Travel – a show hosted by Bennett Newsome, Director of Esports Growth & Development at Full Sail –  Valorant Head Coach at Maryville University, Matthew “mCe” Elmore, discussed winning the 2025 NACE Spring Championship hosted at Full Sail.

Armada members also got to spend time with patients at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, playing games like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. and just having a good time. On Halloween, students played more games with patients and gave out candy, stickers, and Pokémon cards.

As a fundraiser for the hospital, Armada participated in Extra Life Game Day, playing and streaming Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and more for 24 hours straight. Together they raised more than $4,000 for patients in need.

“Extra Life Game Day is one of our favorite traditions each year,” said Bennett. “It brings together students, alumni, and our larger gaming community for something bigger than just playing games. It’s about using our passion for gaming to do real good, and that’s a lesson that sticks long after the 24 hours are up.”

Celebrations

To celebrate Filipino History Month in October, Full Sail’s Asian and Pacific Islander Coalition hosted Pinoy Game Night. The event offered students time to connect with others and enjoy Filipino culture with Filipino cuisine, music, and traditional games, as well as informational cards highlighting famous Filipino Americans.

For Día de los Muertos, the Latin Club organized a memorial for students’ loved ones who have passed away by building an altar called an ofrenda and offering bread, snacks, and framed photos of their family members. They also told stories about their loved ones and ate pan de muertos, a traditional Mexican sweet bread decorated to resemble bones. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Latin Club also hosted a Latin SPARK Fiesta, where students gathered to sing and dance to Latin music, as well as enjoy traditional hispanic foods.

In celebration of National Coming Out Day, the local nonprofit Come Out With Pride had a parade at Lake Eola. As a precursor to the event, Full Sail’s Pride Club and Student Community Association hosted a Show Up With Pride Block Party to get students hyped for the parade, featuring live music, an open mic, snacks and treats, and Pride-themed giveaways. Attendees also chipped in non-perishable food items and hygiene products to donate to the Pride Pantry. The next day, students gathered in downtown Orlando to participate in the Come Out With Pride parade and enjoy the chance to connect with others and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

“The Block Party shows students that our campus is a safe place for them to be themselves and find like-minded individuals,” said Morgan Litzas, Enrollment Project Manager and Pride Club Advisor. “It also allows for students to get information about local LGTBQ+ organizations in the area, should they ever need help or want to volunteer in the future.”

Networking Events

Every month, The Social Scene offers students throughout the university an opportunity to network with peers, make new friends, and enjoy snacks and live performances from fellow students at the Treehouse. Music Business students and 3300+ Climbing club members manage the logistics of planning and executing the events, such as securing performers, organizing networking activities, and promoting the events.

At the monthly Campus Life Block Party, new students had the chance to explore clubs, discover local community resources, and meet new people. With food trucks and live music, students had fun kicking off the new term and integrating into the Full Sail community.

Technology-Related Events

In September, Full Sail hosted the annual BSides Orlando Cybersecurity Conference – a two-day conference featuring networking opportunities, sessions led by industry professionals, and fun, educational activities. Attendees honed their skills in soldering, social engineering, and lock picking through hands-on activities, and learned about scam prevention strategies, financial crime detection, and more at various workshops. Two outstanding Full Sail Cybersecurity bachelor’s students were also recognized with $5,000 each in scholarship funds.

At the Dawn of the Devs game jam, local high school students, current Full Sail students, and alumni exercised their game development skills and competitive spirits. One part of the spooky-themed weekend had students and grads of Full Sail team up and build original video games using Unreal Engine, with the option of also testing out a new generative AI tool from Wolf Games. Another part of the weekend invited local high school students to team up and compete in a 12-hour game jam, developing original games for prizes including a $50 Steam gift card, a SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 keyboard, and a Nintendo Switch 2.

During the weekend, participants got the chance to network with peers, build their portfolios, share their work publicly, and get experience in game development in a fun environment. In the end, the team Stubcub ranked number one with their game The Unfinished Crime, earning the first-place prize and bragging rights until the next game jam.

Music-Related Events

Full Sail’s Media Communications and Creative Writing bachelor’s degree programs presented their second annual First-Gen & Friends Talent Showcase in honor of National First-Generation College Celebration Day, a day dedicated to honoring students who are the first in their families to earn a bachelor’s degree. The talent show included performances from 15 students in music, dance, comedy, poetry, and more, along with food, trivia, raffles, and the chance to connect with others.

“I hope students – especially our first-generation scholars – left knowing they are deeply valued and supported,” shared Sankaya Hall, Media Communications Course Director and host of the talent show. “The event was designed to affirm their experiences and remind them that they are not alone; they are part of a community that celebrates their resilience, stories, and successes. I also hope attendees felt inspired by their peers’ creativity and made new connections during the extended fellowship time. Ultimately, each student should walk away with a sense of pride, belonging, and encouragement.”

Students interested in music-related events also got opportunities to learn from industry professionals. At a Music Business Spotlight, Executive Vice President of Recorded Music for BMG Nashville JoJamie Hahr spoke to students about her experience working with some of the biggest names in country music, like Blake Shelton and Lainey Wilson, and answered students’ questions about the music business world.

At a Music Industry Talk, students heard from Beka Bishop, Full Sail Music Business grad and founder of Fantom Presents, a concert promotions company in Nashville. Israel Vazquetelle, Program Director for the Entertainment Business and Music Business degree programs, facilitated the conversation as Beka shared her insights into live entertainment in Music City. At another Music Industry Talk, Music Business alum Brad Biwer talked to students about his current role as Senior Licensing Representative at Broadcast Music, Inc. in Nashville, where he manages licensing and music rights. Students got to pick his brain and learn more about the function of copyright in the music industry.

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