In punk band and on TV's ‘SMILF,’ this alumnus rocks
Dan Aid returns to CAM to mentor Music and Entertainment Marketing students
It’s not unusual for students to have a rockin’ time in Associate Professor Storm Gloor’s Music and Entertainment Marketing class, but this semester is a bit like plugging into a full-stack amplifier.
That’s because Dan Aid, an alumnus of the College of Arts & Media (BS ’12), Hollywood actor and member of a nationally touring punk band, is helping as a mentor and resource for the 17 students in class this fall.
“The students have been put into teams that will spend much of the semester preparing marketing plans for prominent punk band Authority Zero, the band in which Dan plays guitar,” Gloor said.
Aid lost his right arm below the elbow when he was 12 years old. He was on a family vacation in Mexico when he suffered an electrical shock and ended up undergoing a series of surgeries and months in a burn unit. The story of his remarkable journey to becoming a lead guitarist is recounted in this article.
Aid, who is also an actor, landed a supporting role in the upcoming second season of Showtime’s “SMILF.” The show also stars Melanie Griffith and Frankie Shaw. Aid will make his TV debut as a character who is a tattoo artist.
CAM students aspiring to a career in entertainment are receiving invaluable insights from Aid, who is already a double-threat in the competitive industry.
“This collaboration with CAM alum Dan Aid and Showtime’s ‘SMILF’ is another example of the edge that College of Arts & Media students have in learning while networking,” said Laurence Kaptain, CAM dean. “Professors like Storm Gloor not only have these essential Hollywood connections, but they leverage those bonds to build both knowledge and career paths for our students.”
‘This collaboration with CAM alum Dan Aid and Showtime’s ‘SMILF’ is another example of the edge that College of Arts & Media students have in learning while networking.’
— Laurence Kaptain, CAM dean