Arthur Smith (pictured), executive producer of FOX’s long-running reality series Hell’s Kitchen, is an alumnus of Toronto’s Ryerson University. As such, he will soon be welcoming a group current Radio and Television Arts students to the set as part of a two-week “RTA in LA” intensive program running August 19-30.

This new, for-credit endeavor is being staged in partnership with UCLA. Per a report in Broadcaster magazine, the visiting group of 30 students will get to network with a wide variety of film and TV luminaries:

- Tom Nunan, executive producer, network executive (TV series: Crash, Angela’s Eyes; features: The Illusionist);
- John Pasquin, executive producer/director (TV series: Home Improvement, Last Man Standing, Rules of Engagement; features: The Santa Clause, Miss Congeniality 2);
- Robert Moresco, Oscar-winning writer (Crash, Million Dollar Baby);
- Cathy Schulman, Oscar-winning executive/producer (Crash, The Illusionist, Salvation Boulevard, Angela’s Eyes)
- Joel Surnow, executive producer/writer (The Kennedys, 24)
- Joe Russo, Emmy Award-winning executive producer/director (TV series: Arrested Development, Community and Happy Endings; feature: You, Me and Dupree);
- David Gale, executive vice president, MTVX at MTV Networks;
- Barbara Boyle, executive/producer (Phenomenon, Cinema Paradiso, My Left Foot).

Ryerson is hoping to make this an annual curriculum event.

[Photo courtesy: A. Smith & Co.]