Beyond the Classroom: Jewel Kim (CFA’22)
My Internship at Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston
In CFA’s Beyond the Classroom Series, music, theatre, and visual arts students at BU share their work experiences. These Terriers express how the resources at BU prepared them for success beyond the classroom.
College is a great time for students to explore their interests and uncover passions they may have not known about. For Jewel Kim (CFA’22, BUTI’19), a cello performance major who grew up in Seoul, South Korea, her internship opportunity as an arts administration intern at the Arts & Business Council (A&BC) of Greater Boston led her to find her interest in social media management, marketing, and publicity for artists. As she approaches graduation, Jewel looks to pursue a marketing-related position in the music industry and a master’s degree in business administration. Talk about multi-talented! Read on to hear from Jewel as she shares her internship story with CFA.
What’s your role in the internship? What are your responsibilities?
I interned at the Arts & Business Council (A&BC) of Greater Boston from May to August 2021 as an arts administration intern. There, I managed the organization’s social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter), organized internal documents for staff and board members, wrote monthly newsletters/blog posts, and updated the Customer Relationship Management system (Salesforce) on a daily basis.
How did you find out about the internship?
During my sophomore year, I had a meeting with Komal Shah, a career counselor at BU Center for Career Development. Komal informed me about all the websites and resources I can use for internship-searching including HireCulture. I then found my internship opportunity at A&BC. I was also part of the Yawkey Foundation Nonprofit Internship Program during this internship. The program provided mentorship and financial support for my residence in Boston over the summer and enhanced my overall internship experience. I am beyond thankful for what BU-CCD and the Yawkey Foundation have provided me.
Any notable accomplishments from the internship?
I managed A&BC’s social media channels throughout the summer and improved the average audience engagement rate by 30%.
Did resources at CFA or BU help you prepare for the internship?
While preparing my internship application for A&BC, I was taking the course CFA FA 520: Career Development in the Arts by CFA Professor Emily Worden. Every lecture Worden gave was very informative and meaningful. Because of this class, I became more confident and passionate about my postgrad plans.
How did the coursework at CFA connect with your internship?
The arts leadership courses offered at CFA helped me prepare my resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile.
In what ways do you think the internship has prepared you for your work beyond BU?
The internship program at A&BC allowed me to experience different aspects of arts administration and nonprofit management. While managing all their social media channel, I found my interest in social media management, marketing, and publicity for artists. I am hoping to find a marketing-related position in the music industry after graduation and pursue a Master in Business Administration degree in a few years.
What did you learn about yourself?
Interning at A&BC for a few months helped me find the workday routine that really works for me. I have tried so many ways, and during the last month of my internship, I found the perfect way to keep up my motivation and productivity throughout the day. Every morning, I checked my emails and wrote a To-Do list. I prepared separate agendas for those days when I have meetings with my supervisors. Because my internship was remote, I made sure to regularly stretch and take walks to refresh.
Any advice for current CFA students beginning the internship process?
First of all, I want to recommend using all the resources BU can provide such as the Center for Career Development. Make sure to start putting yourself in the professional world, attend networking events around the campus, conduct informational interviews (the best way to build a meaningful network!), and start developing your LinkedIn/Handshake profiles!
What’s next for you?
I am currently preparing my job applications for postgrad! I hope to be in either Boston or New York City doing what I love: supporting the artists at all costs. Feel free to follow me on Instagram or add me on LinkedIn!
- Instagram @_jewelkim
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jewelkimcello
Internship & Career Resources
- Internships, Jobs, Fellowships, and Grant Opportunities
- BU Center for Career Development
- BU Handshake Portal
Tell us about your career opportunity!
Are you a current student at BU College of Fine Arts completing an internship, fellowship, community service, or part-time job related to the arts and your studies at CFA? We want to hear about your experience. Fill out the form for a chance to be featured on CFA’s news and social media channels.