“What are you doing this summer?” That is the question we are asked more and more as the school year comes to a close. For those of us interested in internships related to the arts, it can seem difficult at times to lock something down, and yet it is evermore crucial to highlight that hands-on experience in a resume. Many positions are highly competitive, while some more viable options can remain hidden without some digging.
To highlight some UR students who were successful in getting arts and entertainment internships this summer, and to hopefully allay anxieties and offer advice to UR students attempting to find arts- related summer jobs, I spoke to rising Take Five Scholar Katherine Varga, graduating senior Madeline Kushner and rising senior Lauren Perez.
Varga, who is an English major with a concentration in Language, Media and Communications (LMC), will be a Literary Management intern at Geva Theatre in Rochester this summer. Located on Woodbury Blvd., the red line passes Geva on its way to Eastman.
Varga said she anticipates assisting the Literary Department by preparing dramaturgical materials for the approaching season and working in the decision-making processes for the acceptance of new plays which have been submitted.
“I was especially excited by the idea of working with Geva because I’d be able to stay in Rochester for the summer, and because I love the attention they give to new, developing plays,” Varga said.
She advised students interested in landing internships to be persistent with emailing and reaching out to places they are interested in working for. Much of the time, success is about initiative.
As far as financial assistance goes, Varga stressed that while many arts internships are unpaid, UR offers funding opportunities for internships. Last summer, Varga worked at a theater in Connecticut through funding provided by the Tanenbaum Scholarship, which is awarded to English majors interning at related venues. This summer, Varga will be in Rochester with REACH funding.
Varga said that informing prospective employers that you are applying for UR funding further shows interest and can actually make you a stronger applicant. “It also puts some pressure on them to let you know if they’ve decided to give you an internship,” Varga said.
Kushner, a Film and Media Studies major, is currently interning as a Script Reader for Eclectic Pictures and is interviewing for another position in Los Angeles. “I am looking at positions related to film/ TV production or producing,” Kushner said. She has gotten interviews and offers by utilizing job board websites.
Kushner said getting your “dream job” is more about the process and networking than it is about landing “big name” companies right off the bat.
“Every job is helpful, so even if you do not get your dream internship right away, your next job will take you a step closer,” Kushner said. “I just remind myself that there are a number of different ways to get to the same place and each one is right; it just depends on the person.”
Perez, an English LMC major who aspires to work in the editing and publishing business post- graduation, will be a blogger for Green Lifestyles Network. She will be writing monthly articles geared toward college students about how to be “green on campus and why they should care about their resource usage.”
Like Varga and Kushner, Perez actively pursued internship opportunities. She attended an internship fair where she met Green Lifestyles Network representatives, and they contacted her within a few days with the job offer.
Perez’s advice is to not stress out. She offered similar advice to Kushner about not being too set on what you initially intended to do. Perez said, “Expand your horizons, because you might not get what you want exactly from the very beginning, but experience is experience, and anything with the arts will be fun.”
All three UR students worked hard to get these internships in arts and media through an open mindset and persistence. “All in all, the best thing to do is what you can,” Kushner concluded. “Meet everyone you can, make a good impression and use your new skills to get you to the next place you want to be. Every job is a helpful step and will teach you something you did not know before.”
McAdams is a member of the class of 2017.
