The University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center hosted a three-hour internship fair on Thursday, designed for students majoring or minoring within the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. The fair offered an opportunity for students to talk with local internship hosts and on-campus opportunities.
These internship fairs have been happening for several years. The director of the Arts Extension Service, Dee Boyle-Clapp, said the goal of the fair is to help students and internship providers connect.
“It’s a combination of outreach with the community and also helping the community have access to the students in a really positive way,” Boyle-Clapp said.
At the event, students were able to talk with representatives from community and on-campus worksites to explore what their passions are in the arts and humanities field. Boyle-Clapp also explained how it is an opportunity for students to find a job that will suit their needs.
Two members from the student-run undergraduate literary journal “Jabberwocky” attended the fair in hopes of recruiting some new members to their team. Being completely student-run, they managed to add a different internship option for students.
The literary journal accepts work publishes a variety of works, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, visual media and criticism. According to the literary journal’s page, “All UMass undergraduates are encouraged to submit their work.”
S.X. Wong, one of the representatives for the “Jabberwocky,” believed the undergraduate program at UMass is rich with creativity and said the journal wants to provide “students a platform for their voices to be heard.”
Blues to Green, a nonprofit arts organization located in Springfield, was present at the fair. Kristin Neville founded Blues to Green in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Neville, who serves as executive director, said that every year the organizations puts on a Jazz and Roots festival. Internship opportunities include communicating with vendors, artists and sponsors to help promote the festival in August.
Neville said she seeks “passionate students with strong writing skills, who are organized and have attention to detail” in prospective interns.
For students who need some guidance on what path to go down for their career, the internship fair provides information on opportunities in a variety of fields and majors.
Students who weren’t able to attend the event, but want more information can visit the “Internships” tab on the AES page of the UMass website. The page provides an extensive list of internship opportunities for students.
“Internships benefit providers with a fresh look at one’s work and the opportunity to mentor up-and-coming arts professionals while simultaneously receiving professional support,” the page reads. “Interns gain essential skills and exposure to the real-world experience of working in the field. It’s a win-win!”
Haleigh Kierman can be reached at [email protected].
