SPS Stories
Faculty Spotlight
Pete Rosenberger
Adjunct Instructor
Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality
Preparing Students for the "Real World"
Fast Facts
- A New York native and US Air Force Veteran
- Was previously an actor, comedian, and writer
- Founded ClusterFest Events in 2014 after working for ESPN the Magazine and Madison Square Garden
<p><span class="p-body">Peter F. Rosenberger is an adjunct instructor at the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality. He teaches the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/courses/MSEM1-GC2035-festivals-and-social-events.html" title="Festivals and Social Events">Festivals and Social Events</a> course in the MS in Event Management program at SPS. A New York native and US Air Force Veteran, he got his start in the industry as a working actor, comedian, and writer. </span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">"The long days and nights of bartending and waiting tables eventually became a career as the dream of performing slowly faded," he recalled. "From the Smith & Wollensky Stable to Madison Square Garden's Club Bar & Grill, things progressed quickly to becoming maitre d’, then manager, and then special events sales at MSG."</span><br>
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Ready for the Big-time
<p>It was then that one of his clients, ESPN The Magazine, called him to come work for them as their event planner. Two years later, he was promoted to head of events at ESPN, and held that title for several more great years. "At this point, I joined a small agency with big ambitions while confronted by a struggling economy, which was rough," he shared.</p>
After a brief stint back in the corporate world as a VP of guest experience for Premiere Global Sports, I ventured out on my own to create ClusterFest Events in 2014 and have been an independent business owner ever since."
Mirroring the "Real World" in the Classroom
<p>Rosenberger is an independent business owner, but also an adjunct instructor—the subject matter of his course makes it very clear that he likes to bridge the two tasks. "My course has multiple objectives—the first is to discuss and determine the myriad of details in planning a large-scale festival, for example Bonnaroo in Tennessee or Oktoberfest in Munich," he explained. "Second, we must look at variables and the factors that lead to the viability of any given project. For example: community support, the local events calendar, infrastructure, and venues.”</p>
<p>"Third (for now) is size and scope—how large or small is the event we are building and what might be the best location for it?" continued Rosenberger. "Once we're clear on objectives, we can move on to strategies and tactics. This holds true for social events also, be it a family celebration or corporate event: you cannot achieve your goal/objective if you're not clear on what it is."</p>
Motivated by Results and Reflection
<p>When it comes to what makes Rosenberger tick, he is genuinely fascinated by the planning process along with human behavior patterns—what is it that makes people say an event of any type was “great” or the opposite, “What a mess?”</p>
<p>"Even the best planners struggle with challenging logistical choices, of that I'm sure," he mused. "But we are tasked to be thoughtful, use our existing experiences and ultimately, discuss and debate what we believe to be best for the festival or any other event we might be working on. Can you see your vision come to life in your own mind?"</p>
Theory Grounded in Reality
<p>In the decade that Rosenberger has been teaching graduate studies at NYU, his goal has consistently been to be a resource for students, both during and after their time at NYU. "For the post-grad group, the next step is The Real World, so that makes it important for us to replicate that environment each week in class," he shared. "We confront current scenarios in the industry candidly and evaluate both failures (Fyre Fest) and successes like Coachella or a royal wedding."</p>
<p>The education process is ongoing, but he has learned an awful lot along the way as faculty at NYU SPS. From his first few guest speaking appearances while at ESPN to his first co-teaching experience with Dave Hollander in 2009, he feels fortunate to have met so many great colleagues and students, easily over 500, at this point. "I really love having this opportunity to make a small impact on their future careers. I'm grateful to NYU for that," he concluded.</p>
<p>An <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-event-management.html" title="MS in Event Management">MS in Event Management</a> from NYU SPS can open doors that you may have never imagined were possible. See where you can start the next chapter of your career with a degree from the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/about/academic-divisions-and-departments/jonathan-m-tisch-center-of-hospitality.html" title="Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality">Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality</a>.</p>
