Media Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler, carmen.chandler@csun.edu, (818) 677-2130
The public is invited to join students from all 22 California State University campuses for a full day of creative experiences — including AI-assisted tools that can reshape content creation — on Friday, April 10, at California State University, Northridge.
The CSU Entertainment Alliance, housed on the CSUN campus, has partnered with Adobe to present CSU Max, which brings together creative leaders, educators and emerging talent for a day focused on real-world design and production workflows—including design, graphics, motion, sound, collaborative pipelines and the latest AI-assisted tools for reshaping content creation. The day begins at 10 a.m. and will conclude at 4 p.m. and is taking place Manzanita Hall, near the southeast corner of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.
“Modeled after Adobe MAX, the event is designed specifically for higher education and marks a significant milestone in the California State University system’s designation as the nation’s first fully realized Adobe Creative Campus system,” said Christina Sibul, executive director of the CSU Entertainment Alliance. “CSU MAX demonstrates how access to industry-leading creative tools — combined with training, mentorship, and real-world application — can expand opportunity and prepare students for careers in the evolving creator economy.
“CSU MAX represents what’s possible when access becomes activation,” Sibul said. “Our students already have access to the same tools used across the creative industries. This event brings those tools to life—connecting learning directly to career pathways and creative expression.”
The day is scheduled to kick off with panel presentations and demonstrations on such topics as “Turning Design into Motion” and “Ethical Generative AI in Content Creation.” There will also be workflow demonstrations in such Adobe products as Premiere Pro, After Effects, Lightroom.
The afternoon will feature student work exhibits, a mini creative job fair, resume and portfolio reviews and opportunities for hands-on engagement.
Among the day’s presenters are director AJ Bleyer, founder of Advent Films; Dacia Sáenz, a senior quality engineer and animation explorer with Adobe; Karl Soulé, video, film and television workflow expert at Adobe; Kelsey Slay, an Adobe design evangelist; digital artist Magdiel Lopez, creative director at inHaus.Design, and Paul Trani, principal director of evangelism at Adobe.
Additional details, including registration information, can be found on the event’s website.
The CSU Entertainment Alliance, with its home in CSUN’s acclaimed Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication, is an initiative that aims to provide a competitive edge to CSU students entering the entertainment industry by removing some of the financial and structural roadblocks encountered while trying to get their foot in the door. CSU MAX is being presented with support from the Chancellor’s Office AI Initiative, the CSUN Office of the Provost, as well as its principal sponsors of Adobe and the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication.
