Mechanical Licensing Collective Adds Student Ambassador Program

The Mechanical Licensing Collective has launched a Student Ambassador program to complement its existing Educator Ambassador program. The programs designate qualified participants who commit to sharing information about The MLC with their students or peers as official MLC Ambassadors.

The MLC was designated by the US Register of Copyrights in July 2019 pursuant to the Music Modernization Act of 2018, and is responsible for administering the new blanket compulsory license for the use of musical works by digital music services. As of January 2021, mechanical royalties from streaming in the US will be processed and paid out by the MLC at no cost to songwriters or music publishers.

The new Student Ambassador program is open to all students currently enrolled in college or university classes. Student Ambassadors are required to demonstrate knowledge of what The MLC is and commit to spreading the word about The MLC to songwriters, composers and lyricists in their local communities and on social media. As Ambassadors, they will support their musical peers, help them sign up for MLC membership and get their songs registered while gaining hands-on music business experience.

“MLC Student Ambassadors are going to help us reach songwriters and composers in local communities all over the United States, especially those who are studying music in school,” says Serona Elton, head of educational partnerships at The MLC and Associate Dean of Administration at University of Miami’s Frost School of Music.

“Student Ambassadors themselves will gain professional music business experience by having repeated discussions regarding mechanical licensing and royalties and publishing administration. There is no better way to demonstrate knowledge of a topic than showing that you can teach it to someone else.”

The new program builds on The MLC’s ongoing outreach and education initiatives and provides college students with a framework to certify their expertise and educate others about The MLC and digital mechanicals. Approved ambassadors gain access to digital resources, virtual and in-person events and training, and private online communities designed to support further learning and professional development. The MLC Educator Ambassador program launched last fall.