A Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences alumna was recently named president of Spin Master Entertainment, a global leader in children’s entertainment.

Last summer, Jennifer Dodge (BA’97) made the move to Hollywood producer, working with stars like Jimmy Kimmel and Kim Kardashian.

Spin Master is best known for the series PAW Patrol, which airs in 190 countries, and according to ViacomCBS, “has been the most-watched show for kids ages two to five since 2016.”

She will be speaking with students at Memorial on Thursday, March 3, for an event titled Dean’s Dialogue: Learning from Alumni.

The event is a partnership of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Memorial Alumni Engagement. Students, or anyone interested, can register for the free, virtual event now.

Dr. Ailsa Craig, interim dean, will chat with Ms. Dodge about her career trajectory since graduating from Memorial, and how her joint degree in linguistics and psychology has shaped her life, personally and professionally.

The discussion will include how she went from a graduate of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences to a media mogul; the secrets behind her success; and her advice for students thinking about their own career paths.

The one-hour event will conclude with a 30-minute interactive Q&A so students can ask Ms. Dodge their own questions about how to make their dream jobs a reality.

Working with celebrities

Stars Kim Kardashian, Tyler Perry, Jimmy Kimmel and Dax Shepard (the voice of Armchair Expert) all voice characters in Paw Patrol: The Movie. Adam Levine of Maroon 5 wrote a song for the film.

In the video below, they explain that they wanted to be part of the movie because their kids love the show so much.

Given the movie’s success, Spin Master and Nickelodeon Movies have announced they will produce a second animated PAW Patrol feature film for 2023.

That worldwide puppy mania is also reflected in the sales of the show’s associated toys, or the fact that numerous malls and amusement parks now have a PAW Patrol ride.

Ms. Dodge joked with ViacomCBS that a key factor in the franchise’s wild success has been “Puppies. What is the appeal of the show? Puppies. What makes it so universally popular? Puppies. Everybody loves a puppy.”