Chip and Joanna Gaines took Harvard University by storm and now are proud graduates of the Ivy League school. The HGTV stars participated in a special program for professionals, called Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports (BEMS).
The course takes place over three days and includes presentations by Harvard faculty, class discussions, and reviewing case studies that, according to the program’s information page, “examine best practices and winning strategies in the worlds of film, television, publishing, music, and sports.”
The couple of “Fixer Upper” fame wasn’t the only big names in the class, however. Pop singer Ciera, NBA stars Kevin Love and Julius Randle, actor Eric Olsen, and Australian soccer star Tim Cahill were also part of what BEMS instructor, Anita Elberse, called a “lively” class in 2019.
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Course complete! School looks good on you @chipgaines ❤️ #ChipForClassPrez #bems
DIY channel is being rebranded as the Magnolia channel.
As the Gaines’ are soon launching their own network under the Discovery Network umbrella, to go along with their longtime growing business empire, Magnolia, Elberse took the opportunity to use Chip and Joanna as one of the case studies on “launching and managing creative products and portfolios, managing and marketing talent and responding to advances in digital technology.”
“We concluded the first full day of the BEMS program with a “live case” discussion with Magnolia legends @joannagaines and @chipgaines and, well… it’s pretty obvious that we had a blast,” Elberse posted on Instagram. “So interesting to learn more about how they got their start with Fixer Upper, grew it into a television phenomenon, built the Magnolia brand and drove crowds to Waco, Texas, and how they now approach the launch of their own network.”
The couple celebrated their 16th anniversary during the course.
The couple was given a special cake with the number “16” on it during class to celebrate their wedding anniversary on May 31.
Achieving a Harvard program graduation certificate together while marking 16 years of marriage in one weekend sounds like a pretty great — and Gaines — way to celebrate!
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