Student’s Hustle is Behind the Main Event

When Quin Anderson ’25 was looking to book acts for Party in the Park this year, he immersed himself in the research.

Rapper Bryce Vine will headline the event, which takes place on March 15 in Plant Park. Pop singer Devon Cole will open the show. Photo by Ethan Martinez ‘26

He attended multiple live shows, including in New Zealand, where he was studying abroad, to assess the caliber and vibe of the bands. It might’ve seemed like fun and games, but Anderson says there was a lot of intent behind the exercise, and he decided on two popular and up-and-coming performers.

Rapper Bryce Vine will headline the event, which takes place on March 15 in Plant Park. Pop singer Devon Cole will open the show.

“Devon (Cole) is amazing live. She’s great at interacting with the crowd and providing high energy,” Anderson said of the artist whom he discovered at a show in Asheville, NC.

Anderson, a business management major with a leadership studies minor, has been working with Student Productions for three years. His experience with the organization helped him land an internship with Zoo Tampa that has turned into a part-time job.

He assists the team at Zoo Tampa to ensure their events like weddings, birthdays and corporate events run smoothly. He’s working in his dream industry, hospitality, which he’s wanted to do since his days of playing Rollercoaster Tycoon and sketching amusement parks in his school notebooks.

Anderson says his Zoo Tampa and Student Production experiences complement each other. His goal for both is the same: that every guest leaves having had a good time.

“I want everyone to be a fan.”

Anderson previously held positions with The Dollywood Company in Tennessee and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

At Zoo Tampa, Anderson has worked on events that sometimes have decades of history behind them. At UT, he is working to leave his mark.

“I feel very confident,” Anderson said, that this year’s Party in the Park, now in its 16th year, has the potential to be “the best ever.”

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