Where can you go with a liberal arts degree? What options are out there for Lawrence graduates? The Career Corner tells the stories of some almni who have found answers to these questions and proves that, yes, there is a job out there for you.Kathleen Callaghan, class of 1999, has been busy these past three years. After graduating from Lawrence with a double-major B. MUS. in Horn Performance and Instrumental Music she got a summer internship at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Arts in Washington, D.C. Callaghan describes Wolf Trap as a performing arts venue hosting classical, rock, country, opera, and pop artists. It is also “the only national park devoted to the arts,” says Callaghan.
Prior to graduation, Callaghan had been offered a job at the Lawrence Admissions Office; she returned in September as an intern, and from there Callaghan said she was “phased into a position as a Conservatory Admissions Counselor.”
After leaving Lawrence again in August of 2001, Callaghan began graduate school at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
“I didn’t actually leave Lawrence once I came [to Madison],” said Callaghan. “I taught at the Arts Academy.” Callaghan also worked with Bachelor of Music students at the con. She was a lecturer in music for 2001-2002.
Currently, Callaghan is the coordinator for the student teaching division at UW-Madison., where she is also a full-time student. She plans to continue her career in arts administration, although there are challenges ahead for non-profit organizations, especially symphonies, she says.
“I’m constantly working against some numbers I can’t exceed,” she says. She says “non-profits are currently threatened,” due to less funding from corporations and individuals. Some symphonies, she says, are going bankrupt and “dissolving.”
There is, however, some very good news about the field of arts administration. According to Callaghan, a degree in arts administration is often not required. Practical, hands-on experience tends to be more desirable in this field.
For students thinking about arts administration early in their academic careers, says Callaghan, “There are great internships offered throughout the United States that will give you great hands-on experiences.”
Callaghan also commented on her own experiences internship-hunting, saying she would frequently visit the career center and take the chance of applying, even if it turned out that she didn’t get the internship she wanted.
For students currently looking for internships Callaghan advises, “What’s supposed to fit is going to fit.
“You’ve got the great liberal arts experience . . . there are going to be people who will recognize that.