Full Sail Stories

Winter at Full Sail University was full of fun and enriching events for students. From holiday celebrations and viewing parties to workshops and networking events, students had a plethora of opportunities to connect with others, expand their knowledge, and enjoy the season. Here’s a look back at the events that kept students busy this winter.

Events with Partners

Full Sail welcomed several community partners to campus over the winter months. The Madden Championship Series returned once again, this time for the Last Chance Qualifier and the 26 Zero Chill Challenge, where students got hands-on experience helping facilitate events to this scale. The university also hosted a related panel titled What It Takes to Produce a Live Esports Event moderated by Full Sail’s Director of Esports Growth and Development Bennett Newsome, with guests Kerry Boyd (Live Producer at UK-based production company Whisper) and Spinks Edwards (Senior Product Operations Manager at Electronic Arts).

Central Florida’s beloved professional soccer clubs, Orlando City (MLS) and Orlando Pride (NWSL), also visited Full Sail’s campus to produce marketing content for their 2026 season with assistance from Sportscasting and Sports Marketing & Media students. The clubs also captured content for their kit reveal featuring the new uniform for the upcoming season’s away games. Students got to shadow the production crew and understand how a typical media day goes, as well as help out with various aspects of the day.

Full Sail and Orlando Health recently teamed up for an Adaptive Gaming Showcase held in the Full Sail University Orlando Health Fortress. The event presented the latest adaptive devices to help make gaming more accessible for individuals who have physical disabilities, from a puzzle game with eye-tracking technology to the Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit. Several booths were set up throughout the space so attendees could try them out for themselves.

Viewing Parties

The 2026 Grammys drew students to campus for a viewing party of the biggest night in music. Attendees enjoyed dressing up and walking the red carpet, then settling in with pizza and popcorn to watch the livestream of the award ceremony. They cheered as 18 Full Sail alumni were credited on 19 winning projects in 19 categories, including “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters (Best Song Written for Visual Media) and GNX by Kendrick Lamar (Best Rap Album).

Three grads even won their own Grammys. Josh Gudwin and Colin Leonard won individual Grammys for their engineering work on Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Album of the Year and Best Música Urbana Album), and Matthew “M-Tech” Bernard won a Grammy for his songwriting and production work on “luther” by Kendrick Lamar with SZA (Record of the Year).

Live Event Production students assisted with the technical production of the viewing party and the SPARK student production crew got photos and video footage of the event. During commercial breaks, raffle prizes were given out to students, including a TV, AirPods, and Meta glasses.

Students also enjoyed gathering together on campus to watch the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots battle it out in the final game of the NFL playoffs. Many dressed in team jerseys in solidarity and ate free pizza, soda, and snacks while watching the big game, the iconic commercials, and Bad Bunny’s hit halftime show.

Sports Marketing & Media faculty and students facilitated the event, and Sportscasting students emceed and hosted giveaways throughout the evening with prizes including a Meta Quest 3S VR headset.

Holiday Celebrations

Full Sail honored a variety of winter holidays with on-campus parties. The long-standing Pie Day tradition continued with Student Community Association volunteers handing out slices of pecan, pumpkin, apple, and sweet potato pie, as well as cheesecake, to students, staff, and faculty. Holiday music played as people enjoyed a break in their day with a slice of delicious pie and a cup of hot coffee.

To celebrate the Christmas season, more than 140 staff and faculty and their families walked down Park Avenue in the 73rd Annual Winter Park Ye Olde Hometown Christmas Parade. The university’s float featured a live band wearing holiday hats with faculty and staff walking behind and handing out candy to spectators.

For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, four Full Sail students performed an artist showcase at Kissimmee’s Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Celebration. The students sang covers of songs by Black artists, as well as original raps playing with phrases from Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. One student performed a spoken-word poem they wrote, expressing themes of activism and African heritage, as many in the crowd snapped in approval.

In addition to the showcase, staff and faculty represented the university at booths at the Unity Celebration, handing out swag and candy to attendees and sharing information about Full Sail and the Black Student Union (BSU).

Across town at Lake Eola, 50 students and staff walked in the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in Downtown Orlando. They wore “Dream, March, Inspire” t-shirts, carried Full Sail banners, and handed out candy to kids – celebrating the enduring civil rights legacy of Dr. King.

To usher in the year of the horse, the Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition hosted a Lunar New Year celebration with community organizations Thuyen May Production, Guang Ming Temple, and the Orlando Chinese School. The event involved lantern-making, calligraphy, games of Mahjong, karaoke, fortune-telling, performances by Chinese and Vietnamese dancers, Asian cuisine, and boba tea. Students had the opportunity to celebrate Asian cultures and look forward to the new year ahead.

In honor of Black History Month, the BSU and International Student Union threw a cultural celebration. The event highlighted the home countries of many international students here at Full Sail, including Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, Nigeria, and Tunisia. A student from Egypt even gave a performance on a doumbek, a traditional African drum. Attendees enjoyed North African food like hummus and baklava while they learned about the various countries, and the night ended with a trivia game to see who learned the most.

In addition to the cultural celebration, the BSU hosted a fashion show to spotlight the work of student stylists and showcase Black fashion through the decades. With a “past, present, and future” theme, student stylists curated a lineup of outfits from African wax print dresses to urban streetwear. Attendees enjoyed a performance from student artist Juriel, who performed original songs and choreography to open the night. City BBQ catered the event and live DJs kept the energy high with karaoke.

Workshops

Students also had many opportunities this winter to expand their learning beyond the classroom. One such opportunity was a virtual session on the intersection of pop culture and art history called Art Pops: Sweet Excess. Students gathered on Zoom to hear from Erin Offenback, Associate Course Director for Art History and History of Visual Communications, on the subject of dessert featured in art pieces through the centuries. Erin highlighted the significance of cacao in Aztec and Mayan cultures, the extravagant dessert tables of the Rococo era, and the still lifes of the Dutch Golden Age depicting common desserts of the time.

Music enthusiasts got the chance to hear about licensing, placement, and more from music industry professional Nicole Sanzio. Nicole’s career experience includes managing music and media rights and clearances at Broadcast Music Inc., MTV, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, and EMI Music Publishing. And now as the owner of InDigi Music and Multi Music & Media Group – a hub for music licensing, composition, and clearance – Nicole had a breadth of insight to share with students in Entertainment Business, Music Business, Music Production, and Film.

Another learning opportunity was for members of Full Sail’s new Camera Club. Shawn Rinehart, Art Director for Staff & Cultural Development, led a workshop for students on how to take professional headshots. Shawn set up a mock studio with lighting, cameras, and a mannequin so students could practice getting the perfect shot. The workshop not only allowed students to build their skills with hands-on experience, but it also provided time for students to network and connect with both peers and professionals.

Networking Events

The networking opportunities didn’t stop there. The Social Scene, a monthly networking event at the Treehouse, brought students together for snacks, live music, and activities to foster connections. And those interested in 3D animation and motion graphics could attend the monthly Digital Arts & Design Grad Showcase. January’s showcase featured recent grad Dylan Hubbell and his capstone projects and demo reel. He showed off his work inspired by heavy metal bands and visualizations of some of his favorite songs.

At the monthly Campus Life Block Parties, new and seasoned students alike could enjoy snacks from food trucks as they connected with others. Additionally, various clubs like Armada, the Veteran Student Union, and Table Top Games were there to chat with attendees and help them get plugged into the Full Sail community. The Orange County Library System, Recovery Connections of Central Florida, and other local organizations also offered their services to students to support them throughout their academic journeys.

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