Many students looking for parties turn to apps like “Posh” or “Flite” which offer information such as ticket prices, themes and promotional graphics. However, what attendees may not realize is that long before an event appears on their phones, it often undergoes a thorough planning process.
From hiring the DJ who plays all the classics to managing promotional campaigns, the students behind these groups handle several tasks to curate events for students.
Daja Jennings, a junior mass communications major from Dallas, works with the event promoter group “HU Network” and founded her own entertainment production company, “DOPE.ENT Entertainment.”
“My mission is to bring people together. I don’t care how you come into my events. I care about how you come out and how you feel in the inside,” she said.
Jennings began working as the graphic designer for HU Network in February 2025, and her goal was to upgrade their “repetitive flyers” with something more authentically created.
“Doing them by hand, especially with the takeover of [artificial intelligence]. I’m like, ‘No, we’re going to stay original, we’re going to stay authentic,’” Jennings said.
Last year, she booked and negotiated contracts for Zoe Spencer and Keeyah the Creator, digital creators and streamers, to visit Howard University.
High-traffic nightlife streets like U Street Northwest, H Street Northeast and Connecticut Avenue draw large crowds at night, especially on weekends. Sometimes at events or parties, crowds can become unruly when large groups of people funnel into one place.
Jennings also mentioned that, despite these booking concerns, she takes the community’s safety seriously.
“Because [just] as my safety is important, every single person that bought a ticket’s safety is important,” she said.
When it comes to profits, the money made from events gets reinvested in events or put back into their personal pockets.
Rahmel DeSoto, a senior mechanical engineering major from Harlem, New York, serves as the chief financial officer for “The Collective.”
DeSoto said he understands that students can’t “drop loads of money,” because they have responsibilities.
“We still try to keep the ticket sales as low as possible, but that’s all we get for revenue,” he said. “We have to fork over a whole ‘big venue’ guarantee to cover the amount of money the venues are gonna lose that night.”
DeSoto said on the one hand, the most successful night during one year’s Homecoming profited over $20,000, but on the other hand, last year’s Welcome Week lost them over $50,000.
When it comes to the entertainment for productions, an experienced DJ could bring their own equipment but higher fees can inflate ticket prices for students. On the flip side, a student DJ could charge less but may have less experience or not the right equipment.
Mykah Huff, a sophomore audio production major from Atlanta, has found ways for her sound to reach students, even if it’s not at parties put on by promotion groups.
What first started as a hunger to mix for one of Howard’s iconic fashion shows grew into Huff joining ELITE Models Inc.
“I want to be the one to bring the immersive music sonic experience when people are sitting in Cramton and watching the models,” Huff said.
Maison Smith, a sophomore business management major from New York City, known on social media as “official_djsb,” said he was discouraged from performing as a freshman, even though he has been DJing for 10 years.
“They don’t want to hear me out. People weren’t accepting me, but I just kept on putting myself out there,” Smith said.
His perseverance in putting his talents out there granted him the opportunity to DJ at Howard’s Homecoming and an Undergraduate Student Assembly lip-sync event.
“I believe if you spend not only your time, but your money to come to my event, you’re family. We believe in unity and family. I take care of my family,” Jennings said.
Copy edited by Daryl R. Thomas Jr.