Graduate Students Pilot Mellon-Funded Summer Internship Program

This summer, in a pilot program for larger things to come, eleven Ohio State graduate students were placed into paid internships with seven different community arts organizations across Columbus. Funded through a three-year, $2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, the internships have enabled the students to gain valuable professional experience while also permitting the local organizations to expand their capacity.  

The community arts groups participating in this first summer of the program are Ohio State’s Community Music School (CMS), the King Arts Complex, Maroon Arts Group, Open Door Columbus, Roy G. Biv Gallery, Wild Goose Creative and WOSU. Angela Heck Mueller, CMS manager, has been especially enthusiastic about the initiative. 

“This opportunity is definitely providing the additional support I had hoped for and desperately needed,” she said. 

After interviewing several potential interns, she ultimately hired CJ Smyth Small, a graduate student in the School of Music pursuing his Doctor of Music Arts in piano performance.  

At CMS, Smyth Small was tasked with managing its extensive database, creating promotional materials for the school, and launching its two social media accounts. He found it an immensely rewarding experience. 

“It provided me with practical skills that I can directly apply in future roles, particularly in arts administration and educational outreach,” Smyth Small said. “The experience has also reinforced my passion for music and community engagement, solidifying my career aspirations in this field.” 

Lydia Gokey, who held a position with Wild Goose Creative, noted the differences between her experience this summer and previous internships she had as an undergraduate. As a graduate intern, she said, “your hand isn’t held and there is a lot more independent work,” all of which she particularly valued.

Those sentiments were echoed by Iyana Hall, who received her BFA from Ohio State in studio art this past spring and will be joining the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy this fall to pursue her doctorate. 

“The most valuable part of my employment [at Maroon Arts],” she said, was learning the inner workings of grassroots arts organizations.” She particularly praised Sheri Neale and Marshall Shorts, Maroon Arts Group’s co-founders, for teaching her “how to build up arts organizations that are authentically based in the community.” “I think this will truly allow me to expand how I think about arts administration,” Hall added. 

Lydia Gokey, who held a position with Wild Goose Creative, noted the differences between her experience this summer and previous internships she had as an undergraduate. As a graduate intern, she said, “your hand isn’t held and there is a lot more independent work,” all of which she particularly valued.